Evacuation Efforts Underway In St. Vincent And The Grenadines As La Soufriere Volcano At Brink Of Eruption
Residents in the RED zone on the Leeward and Windward in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are being rushed to safety, with Coast Guard officials leading the charge as evacuation efforts continue throughout Thursday night in wake of heightened activity at the La Soufriere Volcano.
Earlier this afternoon, the country’s Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, issued an evacuation order, effective immediately, following a warning that the volcano could possibly erupt “in a matter of hours or days”, according to geologist Richard Robertson.
According to the latest update from the National Emergency Management Organisation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (NEMO), “The new dome has now reached the height of the crater on the Leeward side. Residents will now be able to see the glowing/fiery appearance of the dome as it gets dark and night.” (See above photo from the UWI Seismic Research Centre)
The evacuation order applies to all premises in the areas designated as Red Zone on the Northeast and North West of St Vincent and the evacuation of the area itself. (See map below)
Efforts are being made to have residents evacuated in the shortest possible time.
“All residents of Fitz-Hughes, Chateaubelair and Petit Bordel who require transportation to reach a safe area are asked to get to the Chateaubelair Jetty immediately,” NEMO said.
NOTE: This is a continuously developing story and will be updated repeatedly as more information becomes available