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St. Vincent volcano in Caribbean erupts again in large explosion

By Don Johnson
Smoke and ash are seen during an eruption on Friday from the La Soufriere volcano on the island of St. Vincent in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Photo by UWI Seismic Research/EPA-EFE
Smoke and ash are seen during an eruption on Friday from the La Soufriere volcano on the island of St. Vincent in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Photo by UWI Seismic Research/EPA-EFE

April 12 (UPI) -- A volcano on the southeastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted again on Monday and residents were told to expect more ash clouds.

More than 16,000 people have evacuated their homes since La Soufrière volcano first erupted on Friday. St. Vincent is the largest island of the country St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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Experts said a huge explosion from the volcano spewed hot gas into the air on Monday, the largest eruption since volcanic activity began early Friday.

There were no reports of injuries, but local officials expressed concern about the unknown number of residents who have not followed orders to evacuate.

The country's National Emergency Management Organization tweeted that the "volcano continues to erupt explosively."

"Explosions and accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger magnitude, are likely to continue to occur over the next few days," it wrote.

Monday's explosion was similar to a 1902 eruption that killed about 1,600 people, said Erouscilla Joseph, director of the University of the West Indies' Seismic Research Center.

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