The Caribbean island of St Vincent has been rocked by a series of volcanic eruptions after laying dormant for 42 years.
ST VINCENT ERUPTIONS
Dormant Le Soufriere Awakens
The Caribbean island of St Vincent has been rocked by a series of volcanic eruptions after laying dormant for 42 years.
Satellite image: Planet Labs
Saint Vincent has been rocked by a series of eruptions from the La Soufriere volcano, devastating the tiny eastern Caribbean island’s infrastructure and prompting a sea and land evacuation of thousands of residents.
After decades of inactivity, the volcano erupted back into life on April 9. Since then its has been intermittently pumping dark particles high into the atmosphere that have the potential to impact the global climate.
Camera and satellite images have shown the plumes punching through the clouds and at times spreading east to cover neighbouring Barbados.
Satellite imagery: NASA/NOAA, GOES-16. April 11
Ash blankets much of the island, as thick as 8 inches (20 cm) in places. It has destroyed crops, contaminated water, killed animals and complicated search and rescue efforts by rendering some roads impassable.
Satellite images show Richmond Vale waterfront, Saint Vincent island, before and after the volcanic eruption. Maxar Technologies.
Sulphur in the air
The volcano’s name - La Soufriere - means “sulphur outlet” in French. Saint Vincent’s National Emergency Management Organisation has reported a strong sulfur smell pervading the island and urged residents to be careful.
The colorless gas can irritate skin, eyes, nose and throat.
In the atmosphere, it can cause acid rain. Explosive eruptions such as these can inject sulfur dioxide and other compounds high into the stratosphere, where they can reside for long periods and be carried much further afield.
At such heights, SO2 is converted to sulfate aerosols which reflect sunlight and can have a cooling effect on the Earth’s lower atmosphere.
Sulphur dioxide in the lower stratosphere
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April 9
Le Sufriere
Volcano
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 10
AFRICA
Sulphur
plume
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 11
April 12
April 13
April 14
Sulphur dioxide in the lower stratosphere
Less
More
April 9
Le Sufriere
Volcano
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 10
AFRICA
Sulphur
plume
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 11
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 12
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 13
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 14
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Sulphur dioxide in the lower stratosphere
Less
More
April 9
Le Sufriere
Volcano
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 10
AFRICA
Sulphur
plume
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 11
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 12
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 13
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 14
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
Sulphur dioxide in the lower stratosphere
Less
More
April 9
Le Sufriere
AFRICA
South Atlantic
Ocean
SOUTH
AMERICA
April 10
Sulphur
plume
April 11
April 12
April 13
April 14
Evacuation orders
With officials warning that La Soufriere could remain active for months, roughly a third of the island is off limits and airspace remains closed. Crops have been destroyed and animals killed.
So far there have been no reports of casualties or injuries, but power and water supplies are intermittent in some communities. Around 20,000 of its 100,000-plus residents and 30 villages have been evacuated, and shelters have been set up in the southern portion of the island.
Hot flows of ash, rock fragments and gas tore down the flanks of the volcano on Monday after the most powerful explosion, four days after it first started erupting.
Fancy
Buildings
Slopes sparsely populated
Owia
New Sandy
Bay Village
Volcano
Pyroclastic flows
Hot flows of ash, rock and gas
RED ZONE
Debris field
Georgetown
Chateaubelair
ORANGE ZONE
Belle
Barrouallie
LOWER RISK
Evacuation
centres
North
Union
1 km
Kingstown
Cruise liner
docked to aid
some evacuees
International
airport
Brighton Village
Ferry
Another
cruise liner
offshore on
standby
Some vessels in
the area April 9-14
Residents in red zone
given evacuation orders
Fancy
Buildings
Western side of the volcano is sparsely populated but some buildings are spread across the slopes
Owia
La Soufrière
volcano
Pyroclastic flows
Hot flows of ash, rock fragments and gas raced down the flanks of the volcano
RED ZONE
The zone of possible destruction from
pyroclastic flows, surges and mudflows and the zone of maximum expected damage from projectiles
Debris field
Georgetown
Residents
evacuated
Richmond Vale
Belmont
Chateaubelair
ORANGE ZONE
High hazard. Some evacuations
from towns on west coast.
South Rivers
Belle
LOWER RISK
Barrouallie
Impacted by ash.
Most evacuation centres are located in the southern portion of the island
Evacuation centres
North
Union
Greiggs
1 km
Vermont
Richland
Park
Buccamont
Camden
Park
Peruvian Vale
Some vessels in
the area April 9-14
Cruise liner docked to
aid some evacuees
International
airport
Kingstown
Brighton Village
Celebrity Reflection
cruise liner was
offshore on standby
Ferry to
nearby islands
Populated areas on the
northwest coast given
evacuation orders
Fancy
Buildings
Owia
Western side of the volcano is sparsely populated but some buildings are spread across the slopes.
Point Village
New Sandy Bay Village
La Soufrière
volcano
Pyroclastic flows
Hot flows of ash, rock fragments and gas raced down the flanks of the volcano.
Overland Village
RED ZONE
The zone of possible destruction from pyroclastic flows, surges and mudflows and the zone of maximum expected damage from projectiles.
Mandatory evacuation orders given to around 20,000 residents.
Debris field
Bunkers Hill
Waterloo
Richmond Vale
Georgetown
Residents
evacuated
Belmont
Dixons
Chateaubelair
ORANGE ZONE
High hazard. Some evacuations
from towns on west coast.
Byera Hill
South Rivers
Belle
Barrouallie
LOWER RISK
Free from the effects of flows and surges but may be impacted by ash.
Most evacuation centres are located in the southern portion of the island
Evacuation centres
North
Union
Greiggs
Layou
1 km
Vermont
Richland
Park
Buccamont
Mesopotamia
Camden
Park
Peruvian Vale
Some vessels in
the area April 9-14
Serenade of the Seas
cruise liner docked to
aid some evacuees
International
airport
Kingstown
Airport
Brighton Village
Celebrity Reflection
cruise liner was
offshore on standby
Roll-on roll-off ferry
to nearby islands
Fancy
Buildings
Slopes sparsely populated
Owia
New Sandy
Bay Village
Volcano
Pyroclastic flows
Hot flows of ash, rock and gas
RED ZONE
Debris field
Georgetown
Chateaubelair
ORANGE ZONE
Belle
Barrouallie
LOWER RISK
Evacuation
centres
North
Union
1 km
Kingstown
Cruise liner
docked to aid
some evacuees
International
airport
Brighton Village
Ferry
Another
cruise liner
offshore on
standby
Some vessels in
the area April 9-14
Fancy
Populated areas on the
northwest coast given
evacuation orders
Buildings
Owia
Western side of the volcano is sparsely populated but some buildings are spread across the slopes.
Point Village
New Sandy Bay Village
La Soufrière
volcano
Pyroclastic flows
Hot flows of ash, rock fragments and gas raced down the flanks of the volcano.
Overland Village
RED ZONE
The zone of possible destruction from pyroclastic flows, surges and mudflows and the zone of maximum expected damage from projectiles.
Mandatory evacuation orders given to around 20,000 residents.
Debris field
Bunkers Hill
Waterloo
Richmond Vale
Georgetown
Chateaubelair
Residents
evacuated
Belmont
Dixons
ORANGE ZONE
High hazard. Some evacuations
from towns on west coast.
Byera Hill
South Rivers
Belle
Barrouallie
LOWER RISK
Free from the effects of flows and surges but may be impacted by ash.
Most evacuation centres are located in the southern portion of the island
Evacuation centres
North
Union
Greiggs
Layou
1 km
Vermont
Richland
Park
The capital has been covered in
ash but remains the main hub for
the relief effort with supplies and
rescue equipment arriving by sea
Buccamont
Mesopotamia
Camden
Park
Clare Valley
Peruvian Vale
Some vessels in
the area April 9-14
Royal Caribbean's
Serenade of the Seas
cruise liner docked to
aid some evacuees
International
airport
Kingstown
Stubbs
Airport
Brighton Village
Celebrity Reflection
cruise liner was offshore
on standby
Calliaqua
Roll-on roll-off ferry
to nearby islands
On Monday after the most powerful explosion and four days after the first, hot flows of ash, rock fragments and gas tore down the volcano’s flanks.
Data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinal-1 satellite, processed by Reuters, cut through clouds and ash to show the terrain below and that the shape of the volcano’s crater appears to have changed. The images show the summit with a possible new vent inside. According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, the dark areas to the left of the volcano are deposits from the pyroclastic flow that swept its western slopes.
April 5
Before major eruptions
April 11
Following multiple eruptions
Ocean
Pyroclastic flow
deposits from
explosive eruptions
New vent
Crater
Slopes of
volcano
Satellite data: ESA, Sentinel-1
April 5
Before major eruptions
April 11
Following multiple eruptions
Ocean
Pyroclastic flow
deposits from
explosive eruptions
New vent
Crater
Slopes of
volcano
Satellite data: ESA, Sentinel-1
April 5
Before major eruptions
April 11
Following multiple eruptions
Ocean
Pyroclastic flow
deposits from
explosive eruptions
New vent
Crater
Slopes of
volcano
Satellite data: ESA, Sentinel-1
April 5
Before major eruptions
Ocean
Crater
Slopes of
volcano
April 11
Following multiple eruptions
Pyroclastic flow
deposits from
explosive eruptions
New vent
Satellite data: ESA, Sentinel-1
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said supplies from neighboring islands have started to arrive, but more are needed.
The Central Water and Sewage Authority has been unable to tap water sources since the volcano erupted, a government spokesman said, while the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said it expected explosions and ash falls of similar or larger magnitude to continue over coming days.
The La Soufriere volcano erupts on April 9, 2021. REUTERS/Robertson S. Henry
The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said in its latest situation report that it expects explosions and accompanying ash fall of similar or larger magnitude to continue over the coming days.
Sources: Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch (RAMMB); Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA); University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre; EUMETSAT; Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); Maxar; Planet Labs; ESA, Sentinel-1
By Jitesh Chowdhury, Marco Hernandez, Simon Scarr, Manas Sharma, Anand Katakam, Samuel Granados and Wen Foo
