Volcano Erupts In Southern Caribbean, Thousands Evacuate

A volcano in the southern Caribbean that had been dormant for decades, has erupted, spewing clouds of ash for miles and forcing thousands to evacuate.

The volcano, known as La Soufrière, on the northern tip of the main island of St. Vincent, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, had started showing signs of renewed activity in late December.

An eruption by La Soufriere in 1902 killed more than 1,000 people. The name means ‘sulfur outlet’ in French.

According to the National Emergency Management Organization on Twitter, the volcano moved into an “explosive state with smaller explosions continuing throughout the day,

Erouscilla Joseph, director at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, said, this kind of activity could go on for weeks if not months.

He said the eruption column was estimated to reach 10 kilometers high, while ash fall could affect the Grenadines, Barbados, St. Lucia and Grenada leading to possible flight delays due to diversions.

St Vincent and the Grenadines, with a population of just over 100,000, has not seen volcanic activity since 1979, when an eruption created severe damages counted in approximately $100 million.

Local media have in recent days also reported increased activity from Mount Pelee on the island of Martinique, which lies to the north of St Vincent beyond St Lucia.