St. Vincent’s volcano: Prime Minister calls for aid in ‘midnight hour of our need’
Updated Apr 20, 2021;
Posted Apr 20, 2021
French military personnel unloads aid parcels from the Floreal class French frigate Ventose on the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on April 14, 2021. (FANNY MARSOT/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)TNS
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With one-third of his eastern Caribbean nation transformed turned into “a relative wasteland” from the erupting La Soufrière volcano, the prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday appealed to the international community for help with his country’s recovery.
“It’s an extraordinary, existential challenge that is facing us,” Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said.
Officials: Massive volcano on St Vincent and the Grenadines erupts as thousands evacuate msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In partnership with the @UN, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines launches the Global Funding Appeal to assist us in our efforts to address some of the many challenges arising from the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. pic.twitter.com/tFodtvVXl0
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said officials are still quantifying the damage, but that rebuilding will run “in the hundreds of millions of dollars” on top of “massive” humanitarian relief needs.
More than 16,000 people were evacuated before the first, April 9, explosion at La Soufriere volcano, with officials noting that ash piled up to 16 inches (42cm) high in some homes in the northern part of St Vincent, where the volcano is located.
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