29th March 2021
St Lucia prepares for St Vincent volcano eruption
By SNN
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Yesterday's meeting was called to appraise agencies on the status of the volcanic situation in SVG and to look at how we can proceed to assist them and respond to our local needs should we be impacted. La Soufriere shows signs that there will likely be an explosive eruption soon based on information received from the scientists. SVG is asking the islands who have pledged support to prepare to receive evacuees. We also have to respond to locals in from Dennery to Soufriere (depending on the wind direction) with regards to ash fall, air quality issues, tsunami. Shelters for locals have been identified in order of priority should the be need as Blanchard Primary, Piaye Secondary and Stanley Jon Odlum Secondary. Shelter teams should be activated. Mr. Khodra will be liaising with you on this. Please feel free to contact him. The protocols for shelters in COVID19 environment (will be uploaded and sent via email) will be adopted. Persons who cannot get to shelters on their own will require transportation arrangements through the Transportation Committee Chair, Ms. Dorothy Agard. We will also need to push as much public education as possible to the public. Information will be shared. We will also schedule a Zoom meeting in the coming week for All committee personnel including National Committees. For SVG evacuees the suggestion is that they utilize GFL Charles and the Rodney Bay Berth to better control transportation to the northern Shelters and COVID19 screening. Again the COVID19 Shelter Protocols will be adopted. Shelters identified for the evacuees are Babonneau Primary, Monchy HRC, Chase Gardens HRC Sports Academy. As the need arises Shelter Committee will make other schools available.
Deputy NEMO Director, Maria Menard said. "We are looking at areas from Dennery as far as Soufriere and the reason for looking at these areas is that we're not sure, in terms of wind direction, etc what is going to happen and how these communities will be affected so we don't want to leave out any communities, and then these communities may be impacted,"
She continues to say "We're not sure of the intensity of the eruption and seeing that the north of St Vincent is very close to us, there is a high possibility that we will be impacted with ashfall, and that may also affect air quality, in the south".
In terms of tsunami she added, "that We are not saying that it is not going to happen but we still want the public, the communities to understand that there may be a possibility and that they should also be prepared in terms of the ashfall".
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