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PAHO expresses concerns over Soufriére-related health hazards Social Share IN THE past two weeks, La Soufriere volcano has registered important seismic activity, with intensifying explosions in the last days. Continuous ash fall has been reported in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other neighboring islands, including Barbados, St. Lucia and Grenada, which are at least 120 miles apart from St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
PAHO/WHO has deployed five public health experts to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is responding to the emergency in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
This rising crisis has led to the evacuation of an estimated 20,000 people from the northern part of the main island, and 3800 of them staying in one of the 87 shelters activated by the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO).
CARICOM heads hold emergency meeting
Dr Ralph Gonsalves
Prime Minister Social Share HEADS OF Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met in Special Emergency session on Thursday April 15 to discuss the situation in St Vincent and the Grenadines caused by the on-going volcanic eruptions of La Soufriere.
They committed to continue providing extensive support to St Vincent and the Grenadines and pledged solidarity with that Member State as it strove to cope with the disaster. The volcano erupted on Friday 9 April and has been spewing ash and emitting pyroclastic flows.
Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines briefed his colleague Leaders on the situation at the meeting which was held virtually. It was presided over by the Chair of the Conference of Heads of Government Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The meeting also received information from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Mana
Reminiscences of 1979 eruptions Social Share
A few weeks ago I had begun a series centred on one of the great battles of our people to preserve democracy in SVG, the struggle against what became known as the “Dread Bills” of 1981. So far we have done six instalments in the series with a few more to come.
However, given the violent eruption of the Soufriere volcano and the fact that the vast majority of our population either have no knowledge of the events of 1979, as well as the obvious ignorance of previous eruptions, I crave the indulgence of my readers for this week and the next to bring some recollections of 1979 and to highlight excerpts from the eruptions of 1812 and 1902 instead of the Bills series. That series will recommence for the May Day issue, on April 30.
Grenada donates and pledges more
Volunteers putting together a shipment of water in Grenada that arrived in SVG last Sunday.
The Government of Grenada will provide $1 million in support for the Government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, to help deal with the impact of the explosive eruptions at the La Soufriere volcano.
The Prime Minister said Government’s cash donation will be in addition to other emergency humanitarian relief that is being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA).
The first shipment of supplies left Grenada arrived in Port Kingstown last Sunday. The shipment contained primarily water, an urgent need given the contamination of the water supply, but it also included non-perishable food, hygiene products, baby products and adult care items.