Fears are mounting over water shortages with an estimated “hundreds of millions of dollars” needed for recovery following the devastating eruption of a volcano in the Caribbean.
St Vincent was rocked by a fifth day of eruptions from the La Soufriere volcano on Tuesday after it erupted spectacularly on Friday.
A layer of ash coats rooftops, cars and roads as the volcano continues to rumble on – and officials have warned it could continue to be active for months.
Ash blankets the island by as thick as 8inches in some parts and now there are fears over clean water supplies running short after ash from the volcanic eruption contaminated reservoirs.
It has destroyed crops, killed animals and devastated infrastructure, also rendering some roads impassable, complicating search and rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves told local NBC Radio he thought the country would need “hundreds of millions of dollars” to recover from the eruption.
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(Image: REUTERS)
After decades of inactivity, the volcano erupted on Friday spewing dark clouds of ash some 10 km (6 miles) into the air and prompting an evacuation of some residents living nearby.
A witness on the island’s capital city of Kingstown said the volcano continued to vent clouds of ash and rumble on Saturday morning, while videos from the island showed a ghost-like landscape, with empty streets and hazy skies.
“We are still looking for drinking water and food,” said Jenetta Young Mason, 43, who fled from her home in the danger area to stay with relatives.
So far, there have been no reports of casualties or injuries.
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: CHANTEL WILLIAMS via REUTERS)
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which has a population of just over 100,000, has not experienced volcanic activity since 1979, when an eruption created approximately $100 million in damages.
An eruption by La Soufriere in 1902 killed more than 1,000 people. The name means “sulphur outlet” in French.
St. Vincent’s National Emergency Management Organisation issued a statement on Saturday warning those that live close to the site to be prepared to “evacuate at short notice”.
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: REUTERS)
The agency on its Facebook page said “strong sulphur scents pervade the air” and urged residents to be careful.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves toured rescue shelters over the weekend that have imposed limits on the number of evacuees they take due to Covid-19 protocols.
Authorities say they are awaiting scientific findings before announcing what future steps they will need to take.