By Caribbean News Global contributor
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — The latest scientific update by UWI Seismic Research Centre has indicated that La Soufrière, St Vincent has changed its pattern.
La Soufriere Scientific update – 15/04/21 6:00 pm, reads: “The last of a series of bands of tremor ended at about 5:40 am and, unlike all the previous bands, had no strong venting or explosive activity associated with it. The seismic network has now recorded a near constant swarm of long- period and hybrid earthquakes, with three brief episodes of low-level tremor each lasting less than 30 minutes.
“The continuous GPS network shows a signal consistent with depressurization of the magma reservoir following the initiation of explosive activity on April 9, 2021. 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 and accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger magnitude, could restart in the future.”
Grantley Adams International Airport – Barbados
The Grantley Adams International Airport is schedule to remain closed until noon Friday, April 16, 2021. Prime minister Mia Amor Mottley announced Thursday, that the “airport must open as a matter of urgency”.
“Based on a conversation with Director of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, Professor Richard Robertson, who disclosed that this morning’s eruption at the La Soufriere volcano was not “of sufficient strength” to send the ash in an easterly direction to affect Barbados, government could proceed to “ramp … full steam ahead with the clean-up operations”.
“Over the course of the next day or two, or however long it takes, we will have all of the major construction companies in Barbados on site…all the major civil works construction companies on site. The airport is being divided up into quadrants, as well as to be able to deal with inside, as well as the canopies. We recognise that in dealing with the airport, as I said over and over, you cannot just deal with the airport, you’ve got to create a zone around the airport because the wind is blowing the dust. So, all from up at Gemswick coming down, you’re going to have dust coming in,” said, prime minister Mottlely.
Visit the International Volcanic Hazard Health Network for information and resources on living with volcanic ash: www.ivhhn.org/information
API – The Agency For Public Information : St. Vincent and the Grenadines
NEMO St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Department of Emergency Management