St Vincent is a
Fear has tripled as Vincentians continue to eye persistent eruptions from La Soufrière volcano, grapple with the over year-long novel coronavirus pandemic, and are now struggling to stay afloat after heavy rain pummelled St Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday, causing flooding and mudslides across the islands.
Three Vincentians who spoke with the after the first eruptions from the volcano on April 9, have now said that things took a turn for the worse as about 15 per cent of the island’s population has been displaced, and at least a third of the country’s agriculture has been wiped out.
Fred, a livestock farmer, has been at a relief shelter with four other family members for almost a month, having evacuated Owia, their hometown, a day prior to an evacuation from the Ralph Gonsalves-led Government. Owia was established as a danger zone.
Jamaica Observer
“I haven’t left the shelter as yet. I am still looking for a house to rent, but presently, I cannot afford those that are available. The shelter that I am at, nobody has left. We weren’t affected. As for our home in Owia, I am not sure. In fact, more people came to the shelter. There are 45 people here now,” he told the
noting that it only housed 22 people before.
Over 20,000 people were forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge in shelters. Also, water and electricity supply have been vastly disrupted. Fred said the Government hasn’t given any directives that citizens can return home.
“Well, there is no all clear from the prime minister to go back into the red zone. There is no water, electricity, phone and Internet service in the area and the place is still in a mess. So, if people go back home, it is at their own risk. The prime minister hasn’t come out and say to remain in or leave the shelters. I guess he is waiting on Professor Robertson (Vincentian volcanologist) to give him the all clear so that he can tell us to leave the shelters. The volcano is still erupting it erupted this
Sunday Observer, morning (Thursday) at 4:00 am.”
La Soufriere volcano has had five recorded explosive eruptions since 1718. It erupted on Friday, April 9, for the first time in 40 years. The cataclysmic event sent blasts of ash up to six miles high and reduced visibility in many areas. Subsequently, there has been a series of smaller eruptions.
“It is still foggy where I am. The rains keep down the dust a little. I am asthmatic so I haven’t gone back home since,” Fred added.
While citizens reeled from volcanic terrors, rainfall lashed the country for hours, with some areas receiving up to five inches of rain. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries, but property and infrastructure damage has been widescale.
Shellicia Small, 30, who has also been at a shelter since April 8, told the that the rain has worsened the country’s plight.
“It’s a mess here. After one thing is the next. We are having heavy rainfalls resulting in flash floods and landslides throughout the island at the moment and we are still in shelters. A few people have returned to their
Sunday Observer