Ash has already began to affect life in Barbados

As the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent continues, clouds of volcanic ash is now hovering over Barbados.

This comes after last night’s continuous eruptions of the volcano in St Vincent. The ash has already begun to affect life in Barbados this morning. As at 8.30 am local time Barbados’ Met Office issued a severe volcanic ash and small-craft warning.

The Barbados Government Information Service Facebook page noted that Barbados’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kenneth George has advised residents to stay indoors except for essential activities or medical emergencies. In addition, around 10 am, Grantley Adams International Airport was closed announcing that it would remain so until at least April 11 at 6 am.

Barbados sends relief supplies to St Vincent

Forty sailors and seven tonnes of relief supplies should now be landing in St Vincent and the Grenadines after the Barbados Defence Force was mobilised to lend assistance to its  neighbouring Eastern Caribbean state yesterday. With the La Soufrière volcano having three explosive eruptions yesterday, the HMBS Rudyard Lewis and the HMBS Leonard C. Banfield were loaded up and set sail after nightfall.

Attorney General Dale Marshall was on hand to inspect the detachment and saluted them for their “distinguished bravery”, noting that it was not an unusual stance for Barbados to render assistance. Marshall applauded the commitment of the military as well as the civilians who had stood up to lend assistance.

According to Marshall, “from the reports in the media, we have seen from our various feeds in social media, I have no doubt that everyone in St Vincent and the Grenadines is absolutely petrified and it is at times like this that we need to lend a strong arm of support to our brothers and sisters in the region when they need it. As I speak to you, the prime minister (Mia Mottley) is engaging in discussion with Prime Minister Gonsalves (of St Vincent and the Grenadines) to see what assistance St Vincent and the Grenadines will require of us and Barbados stands ready to go very much over and above that which we are already doing”.

He pointed out that, already, members of our civic society have begun to pool their efforts to purchase commodities to send down to those in need, “and I want to salute those right-thinking Barbadians for those early gesture”.

READ: St Vincent’s Caribbean residents wake to ash-covered streets, rumbling volcano