UPDATE ON LA SOUFRIERE

Published 29 December 2020

Buckie Got It,

Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source

Here is a summary of the press conference:

1. There is currently an Effusive eruption at La Soufriere SVG similar to 1971/72.
2. An effusive eruption is a type of volcanic eruption in which lava steadily flows out of a volcano onto the ground. There are two major groupings of eruptions: effusive and explosive. Effusive eruption differs from explosive eruption. In explosive eruption, magma is violently fragmented and rapidly expelled from a volcano.

1. In an effusive eruption, magma can continue to ooze and go quiet or it can turn explosive.
2. Increased activities recorded since November 1st but were considered within normal range up until December.  
3. Mid December there was observation of physical changes . Satellite images indicated a hot spot in late December. 
4. The authorities confirmed that there is a dome building on one side of the volcano. There will be emissions of magma, rock and also of sulfur. The dome is currently emitting strong gas or steam and magma.
5. It needs to be monitored so the authorities are going to install more instrument and will deploy a team on the ground in SVG to monitor daily in a more precise way
6. At relatively short notice, there might be an order to evacuate high risk areas if an explosive eruption is likely to occur based on data. Residents are asked to prepare just in case but there’s no evacuation order at this time
7. There’s no timing to predict if the volcano will turn explosive.  The current alert level is orange (3rd of 4 levels).
8. All recreational visit to the volcano have been suspended with immediate effect
9. Based on the historic trend, the volcano erupts every 100 years so it’s likely and expected to occur at this time given the last explosive eruption was 1979.
10. The authorities will be monitoring over the next few weeks or months and it may wake up any time but it will be monitored. Some species sense the earth vibrations and frequency inaudible by humans so they will respond and they should be observed.

We must remain calm and vigilant as a people. STTL.