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The Soufrière volcano, located on the island of Saint Vincent, recorded a second major eruption on Friday that caused a column of smoke and ash about 4 kilometers high, visible across much of this Caribbean region.
To top it off, specialists say the explosion could repeat itself for the next few hours and the days.
A postcard of terror. The ash mushroom formed by the materials cooked by La Soufrière reaches the Vincentian paradise.
The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reported a second explosion of the volcano so far this Friday, for which he called on the population to strengthen security measures.
The NEMO warning occurs when a major evacuation operation is in progress it affects thousands of people.
Luxury cruise ships are starting to arrive in San Vicente with the aim of evacuating those injured by the volcano explosion.
A cruise ship, with its bow pointing towards San Vicente to aid the evacuees. Photo: Reuter.
The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, reported at a press conference that the evacuation process in the north of the first of two islands in this small Caribbean territory has intensified and that two cruise ships have already arrived to take people to the islands from the neighboring Caribbean who have agreed to take in some of the affected people.
The number of evacuees is not precise and while the local media speak of more than 20,000 people the prime minister said around 4,500 had been moved to safe areas and 2,000 others were in emergency shelters.
Shocking image of the mushroom rising meters in the sky.
Cruise lines Royal Caribbean y Carnival, to which he joined Celebrity curises, announced the dispatch of their boats for the evacuation. Carnival has sent two of its ships, Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend, which are expected to arrive in San Vicente this evening. Royal Caribbean sent the Serenade of the Seas, which has already arrived in port, while Celebrity Cruises has made Celebrity Reflection available to authorities.
Gonsalves said the governments of Dominica, Grenada and Antigua had indicated they would be ready on Sunday or Monday to accept evacuees. Compared to the logistics involved in the evacuation at a time like the present complete pandemic due to Covid-19, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has indicated that Saint Lucia vaccinate people when they arriveAlthough it is possible that the refugees will receive the doses en route.
The ashes have already reached the beaches of San Vicente.
The volcano had been dormant for four decades and had erupted this morning, darkening the northern part of this Caribbean island and forcing thousands of its inhabitants to evacuate to safety. Now, the ashes have already invaded the entire island, which is about 29 kilometers long.
The infrared photo of the moment of the first explosion at La Soufrière.
“Please leave the red zone immediately. La Soufrière has burst. Ash falls are recorded until Argyle International Airport», Declared the National Organization for the management of emergencies in its first alert message to the population.
La Soufrière, over 1,200 meters high, had not erupted since 1979, and its biggest explosion occurred more than a century ago. killing over 1,000 people in 1902.
He had been rumbling for four months before exploding this Friday. The total population of the island chain is around 100,000 people.
Blackened, the Soufrière volcano has been “rumbling” for four days after 40 years of inactivity. Photo: EFE
“People living in ‘red zones’ are urged to pack their belongings, secure their homes and animals, and prepare for immediate evacuation,” police said in a statement after the eruption.
The the evacuees – around 20,000 people – will be taken to shelters in other places in the island chain or in other Caribbean territories that have offered assistance, such as Barbados and Saint Lucia, according to local media.
An uncertain future for the evacuees
Philmore mullin, Director of the National Office of Disaster Services of Antigua and Barbuda, told AFP that the twin island nation was ready to receive evacuees from San Vicente.
Mullin said between 12,000 and 15,000 people had already left the red zones. “I know for sure that they will be very afraid. The question is: what will happen after they move? Volcanoes don’t tell you what they think, “commented Mullin.” If it keeps erupting for a long time, it will change their life. And, depending on the type of rash, they may not be able to return home for years, ”he added.
The streets of San Vicente, covered by gray ash from the La Soufrière volcano.
The Royal Police of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (RSVGPF) said in a statement, quoted by local news portal Searchlight, that all police officers were ordered to stand up. report to work immediately.
“All members (RSVGPF) and their auxiliary forces who are currently on vacation are informed that all permits have been canceled with immediate effect,” the statement said.
Sirens sounded on one side of the island as traffic got stuck in each other in the rush of residents to escape, Searchlight reported.
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