St Vincent and the volcano Paolo Kernahan - VINCENTIANS are faced with extraordinarily challenging circumstances. A volcano that's been signalling its intentions for several months now has erupted, spewing ash, rock, and chaos. This eruption couldn't have happened at a worse time, given that the region is stretched to the limit and beyond by an unrelenting pandemic. But then, disasters are nothing if not inconvenient. Volcanologists suggest the La Soufriere volcano could remain active for weeks or even months. Even though its restive behaviour may have calmed somewhat over the past week, this shouldn't be taken as a sign that the worst has passed.