St Vincent volcano erupts, flights clear for now

A volcanic eruption on the eastern Caribbean island of St Vincent has not interrupted flights, an official of the Argyle international airport told Argus.

"It is still early, and flights will be rerouted to avoid the northern parts of the island. But we are monitoring the situation as the ash clouds could be spread by winds," the official said, noting that in a 1902 eruption, Barbados suffered from volcanic ash before those in southern St Vincent.

The La Soufriere volcano erupted this morning, sending ash clouds 8km (4.97mi) into the air, according to the country's national emergency office.

La Soufriere's previous eruption was in 1979 when ash disrupted flights for several days in many parts of the eastern Caribbean.

Just under 20,000 people are currently being evacuated from the north of the island to government shelters, cruise ships and neighboring islands, the government said.

No casualties have been reported from today's eruption in the country that includes the Grenadines archipelago. The 1902 eruption killed over 1,000 people.

The government had warned of an imminent eruption after earthquakes and lava flows started yesterday.

The volcanic activity has compounded the government's efforts to manage the Covid-19 pandemic, prime minister Ralph Gonsalves said.

People boarding cruise ships, going to shelters and leaving the country will be vaccinated against the virus, he said.

"Do not panic," Gonsalves told the archipelago of 112,000 people. "That is the worst thing to do. But if we cooperate with one another, we will come through this stronger than ever."

But efforts to move people from northern parts of the island threatened by the ash and lava flows have been hobbled by a lack of organized transportation, local residents told Argus this morning.

"A lot of people who want to move are stranded at home," one resident said.

Neighboring Trinidad and Tobago's army "is on standby to provide any assistance that may become necessary," that country's national security minister Stuart Young said.

Guyana is ready to assist in shipping urgently needed assistance to St Vincent, President Irfaan Ali said.

By Canute James