Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Eruption?

The official NEMO email is as follows:

Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, May 8, 2012 (NEMO) - During the course of the morning, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) received several calls from concerned persons and Media houses enquiring if the la Soufriere volcano was erupting. Some callers indicated they have seen smoke coming from the la Soufriere while others indicated that they were smelling sulphur. 

According to Mr. Howie Prince, Director of NEMO, NEMO has been in contact with Dr. Richard Robertson – Geologist at the  Seismic Research Centre in St. Augustine Trinidad who informed that there was no unusual activity nor any increase in seismic activities based on their seismograph recordings. The Soufriere Monitoring Unit also reported from Belmont, North leeward that there was no visible activity or eruption of the volcano.Photo taken at 11:00 a.m. today showing weather clouds over the volcano

NEMO therefore wishes to inform everyone that the rumors that the La Soufriere volcano has become more active are not true. 

NEMO also wishes to remind the country that we continue to be affected by a trough system which is producing dense clouds and fogs, thunder showers and lighting storms. It is possible that lightening flashes combined with low clouds and fog can give an illusion of smoke in the area of the volcano.

According to the MET Office, a trough system which has been affecting the Lesser Antilles for the last few days continues to affect St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The system which remains stationary across the Lesser Antilles continues to pull moisture from within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) northwards.

As a result, generally cloudy to overcast skies, scattered showers and possible isolated thunderstorms will continue to spread across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Analysis of forecast data suggest that these conditions will continue to affect the island for the next few days however, conditions will improve with the drying out of the atmosphere by late Thursday.

SOILS ARE ALREADY SATURATED THEREFORE RESIDENTS IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND AREAS PRONE TO LAND SLIPPAGE SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT. 

NEMO wishes to remind everyone that there have been reports of landslides, flooding and flash flooding in many areas of the country. Therefore, given the current weather forecast, everyone is asked to take the necessary precautions to save life and protect property.