On Friday, the La Soufrière stratovolcano on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted, blanketing inhabitants with heavy ash fall. The first explosive eruption took place at about 08:41 local time in the morning, followed by a second eruption. Local media sources say there are thick smoke and ash plumes spanning kilometers in the sky. As of now, three explosive eruptions have been recorded according to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre. Emergency management officials and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves have urged over 16,000 people to evacuate from "red zones", and advised those with respiratory conditions to stay cautious. As of now, no deaths or major injuries have been reported.

La Soufrière has been dormant for decades and started to become active in December of 2020, when an effusive eruption formed a new lava dome in the volcano's crater. Since then, officials have urged residents near the site to stay alert in case evacuation becomes necessary. The last eruption took place in 1979 and resulted in over 100,000,000 United States dollars of damage to the island.

Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Lucia have agreed to take in evacuees while Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced that his nation will be sending humanitarian supplies. Carnival Cruise Lines will be sending the Paradise and the Legend to help transport evacuees while the Royal Caribbean Group announced that it would send the Serenade of the Seas and the Celebrity Reflection to aid in evacuation.

Currently, some seismologists alongside officials of St. Vincent warn that further eruptions may take place. Media groups also reported that there appears to be increased activity from Mount Pelee on the island of Martinique, north of the island of St. Vincent. 

Note: All photos used in this article were retrieved from the public domain, and do not require attribution or citation for commercial purposes. The last photo depicts the Serenade of the Seas, which will be helping with evacuations.