By Caribbean News Global contributor
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — Explosion at #LaSoufriere today at – 6:15am. Eruption column estimated at roughly 8,000 m high with an #ash cloud seen moving towards the west of #StVincent. The period between explosions has now lengthened to more than 40 hours said UWI Seismic Research Centre.
La Soufriere St Vincent Scientific update – 16/04/21 6:00 am
- Seismic activity at La Soufrière, continued as before with a near-constant swarm of long-period and hybrid earthquakes.
- There was one band of low-level tremor at 9 pm on 15 April which lasted about 40 minutes and may have been associated with a small increase in venting.
- The first successful measurements of sulphur dioxide (SO2) flux at La Soufriere were undertaken along the west coast and yielded an average SO2 flux of 809 tons per day.
- SO2 is a volcanic gas and flux is the measurement of mass of SO2 in the plume (a stream of gas vented by the volcano).
- The presence of SO2 tells us that fresh magma from a deeper source is being degassed indicating that the eruption is continuing.
- The volcano continues to erupt although explosive activity appears to have ended at this time.
- Its current pattern of seismic activity may indicate growth of a lava dome, but this has not yet been confirmed.
- Explosions with accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger size, could restart in the future impacting St Vincent and neighbouring islands.
- The volcano is at alert level Red
- Visit the GNS Science website for Global Ash Impact posters. The latest research-informed material for concise best practice information for critical infrastructure managers to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from ash-producing volcanic eruptions. https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/resources.html
Visit the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network for volcanic ash information and resources: www.ivhhn.org/information
