Fears for family on volcano-hit island
APPEAL LAUNCHED TO HELP THOSE DISPLACED BY ERUPTION
A WOMAN fears for her family living in the shadow of a volcano which erupted last week.
The eruption of La Soufrière on the Caribbean island of St Vincent has left the entire population without clean water, according to the UN, and sparked a humanitarian crisis.
Desrie Hadley, from Leicester, moved to the UK from St Vincent in 2000. Her dad and brother, as well as close friends, still live on the island.
Her family are currently in the green zone, in the south, to which thousands have been evacuated.
Desrie told the Mercury: “Most of my family and friends are there and my phone has just been going off constantly.
“They say you can hear the volcano and feel the ground rumbling.”
The island has been covered in ash since the volcano began erupting last week, sparking a crisis that is expected to last for months.
Desrie, the employment support officer for Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, said: “There are people who have lost their homes.
“Evacuees are staying in shelters in church halls and hotels. Some have also islands.”
La Soufrière volcano had been dormant for decades. Desrie’s mother, Roslyn Southwell, 53, was 11 the last time the volcano erupted. fled to neighbouring
“I’ve seen the ash before, but nothing like this,” Roslyn said. “When I was 11, there were two big explosions that lasted about four days.
“I saw all these people running down the path wondering what was going on and they told me to look up – there was all this smoke coming down.
“The next morning everywhere was covered in ash.”
Desrie said her friend, a coastguard, has been helping people to evacuate red zones and take people to safer areas.
Water and hygiene are among the high-priority needs highlighted by St Vincent and the Grenadine’s National Emergency Management Organisation (Nemo).
Desrie has started collecting items to be sent to the island as part of a larger collection organised by Waypoint Enterprise Ltd.
Waypoint Enterprise is working with Nemo and the High Commission for St Vincent and Grenadines to help those taking shelter.