Lahars remain a threat to St Vincent this hurricane season

With the official start of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season, St Vincent and the Grenadines prepare for the threat of lahars.

In a broadcast to the nation, SVG Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said that heavy rainfall and the lingering ash from the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano last year could result in devastating floods and lahars.

“Lahars would be upon us because a lot has not been washed down yet, that represents a danger.”

Gonsalves urged residents in the path of lahars to be cautious and prepare for such.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) has alerted communities on the northern side of the island due to the increased vulnerability to hazards brought about by La Soufriere.

NEMO Director Michelle Forbes said that they have conducted their annual shelter exercise of the over 140 designated shelters in cooperation with the community and other organizations like the Red Cross.

Experts have indicated that because of the material on the slopes of La Soufriere, St, Vincent and the Grenadines may experience lahars for three to four years.

UWI Seismic Research Centre and National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) lowered the Alert Level for Soufrière St. Vincent to Green (the lowest level on a four-colour scale) on 16 March, noting that seismic and fumarolic activity were at or below background levels recorded prior to the 2020-2021 eruption.