1.Alert level remains at Orange. The Volcano continues to exude magma on the surface and steam can still be observed from the Belmont Observatory.
Persons living in areas close to the volcano which include communities from Fancy to Georgetown and Belle Isle to Richmond are asked to remain alert and listen to all advisories from the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO).
2.The three-person team from The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus (UWI-SRC) began work today having arrived in St. Vincent yesterday, to provide scientific support for the ongoing eruption at La Soufriѐre volcano. Led by Vincentian Geologist Prof. Richard Robertson, the team spent most of today Friday, January 1 re-inspecting and upgrading all the seismic sites.
A new GPS station was also installed at Georgetown. This new station will be able to detect signals from the volcano. Over the next few days work will focus on upgrading and installing other monitoring sites.
3.No aerial reconnaissance was done today as a result of the high wind advisory currently in effect for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
4. The National Emergency Management Organisation is reminding the public that no evacuation order or notice has been issued.
5.NEMO is also appealing to the public to desist from visiting the La Soufriere Volcano until the scientists advise that it is safe to do so.
6.NEMO will continue to provide regular updates on all activities taking place at La Soufriere.
People should be advised that if there is a major ash occurrence it will contaminate all the drinking water from the supplied pipelines. People should be storing water and if or when they use it to first boil it then pass it through a filter before using it for drinking.
Why are they waiting for it to happen before all running about like headless chickens. Get the people prepared now, give them good and scientific advice.
I do respect NEMO’s authoritative right to say when evacuations should begin if the situation warrants such. But I am thinking that it might be a wise idea to ask residents of Fancy, Owia, Sandy Bay, Overland,Tourama, and Orange Hill to evacuate now just in case of an explosive eruption taking place in the near future. The new dome is growing fast which might indicate that something very serious and highly life-threatening may happen soon. NEMO, please think about this.