The authorities said that the explosion occurred shortly after four o’clock at four o’clock in the evening local time The social networking site Facebook. It should be the strongest by far since the volcano erupted just before the weekend.
A powerful eruption shook the area, and pyroclastic currents appeared from the volcano – hot gases and particles at high speed.
“It destroys everything in its path,” said Eroskella Joseph, director of the Earthquake Research Center at the University of the West Indies.
Evacuation ordered
Joseph compares the volcanic eruption to the eruption in 1902. It killed 1,600 people.
As of Monday, there were no reports of deaths or injuries. But the authorities do not yet have an overview of the situation.
Last week, evacuation orders were issued for about 16,000 people in the vicinity of the volcano. However, an unknown number refused to leave their homes.
New crater
Richard Robertson, who also works at the Earthquake Research Center, says so-called lava domes were destroyed by the volcano’s eruption on Monday night. At the same time a new crater was formed.
Robertson also notes that lava currents can do significant damage.
– Everything there might have been – people, animals, whatever – is now gone, he says.
Norwegians are without electricity and water
The eruptions started from La Soufriere volcano before the weekend. Ash covered large swathes of the island, and many residents were cut off from electricity and water on Sunday.
Drinking water sources were contaminated with ash, and instead the authorities tried to search for water and get it to the population by truck.
– It’s boring to be without electricity, but it works. Norwegian Thor Magnus lying on the phone at NTB on Sunday said it’s worse with the water. He lives in Saint Vincent with his wife Monica.
– It’s gray and ashes everywhere. It’s not clear, Monica Lee said.