No longer pleading with people, authorities in St Vincent and the Grenadines are moving to arrest anyone seen in the red zone disaster area with immediate effect.

As the explosive phase of La Soufrière continues into Monday (April 12), the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) is threatening harsh penalties whether Vincentians are stuck and in need of evacuation or stubborn and defying orders to flee.

“Anyone caught in the red zone without the permission of the police will be immediately arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This will apply whether you are a usual resident of the area or not,” NEMO indicated.

“No one, absolutely no one is allowed in the red zone without the permission of the police,” the agency continued.

Some 20,000 citizens, who call the red zone home, were ordered to evacuate ahead of Friday’s explosive eruption, however, government sources have been unable to ascertain how many Vincentians are still exposed in the disaster area.

With the confirmed collapse of the existing lava domes at La Soufrière, the volcano entered a new dimension of turmoil as dangerous conditions persist.

Vincentians are being warned not to gather at the Rabacca Bridge or anywhere else in the danger zones to view the pyroclastic flows coming from La Soufrière.

The pyroclastic flows—which are extremely hot (anywhere between 200°C-700°C) ground-hugging flows of ash and debris—have devastated natural vegetation, homes and other infrastructure at Fitz Hughes as the northwest coastline takes a battering from the rumbling volcano.

Here’s the latest situation report from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre (SRC):

1. Explosions with pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) at La Soufrière.
2. Since midday on April 11, the time between episodes of high-amplitude tremors has lengthened from 1.5-4 hours to 5-8 hours.
3. The episodes continue to coincide with periods of enhanced venting or explosive activity.
4. Small volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded starting at about 6:00 pm on April 11.
5. At about 4:15 am, the Belmont Observatory indicated that pyroclastic flows entered multiple valleys surrounding the volcano.
6. Analysis of satellite imagery and comparison with previous images indicate that the
   explosive eruptions thus far have destroyed the pre-existing domes (1979 and 2020-21)
7. The current explosions are being generated from a new vent.

In the meantime, the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) has announced the temporary restoration of piped water to 48 communities serviced by the Dalaway and Majorca supply systems.

See related coverage below:

• Power cuts, ashfall and pyroclastic flows: La Soufrière eruption continues
• St Vincent’s Caribbean residents wake to ash-covered streets, rumbling volcano
• Second explosive eruption rocks La Soufrière
• ‘This is the Caribbean I love’: PM Gonsalves brought to tears seeing regional solidarity
• La Soufrière explodes over St Vincent