Volcano erupts

Press, 19 April 1979, Page 8

Volcano erupts

NZPA-Reuter Kingstown, St Vincent The Soufriere volcano has erupted again after three days- of relative calm, and the State-owned radio said the eruption was the strongest so far on the Caribbean island of St Vincent. Loud explosions were accompanied bj z flashes of fire from the crater which threw a pall of black smoke and ash kilometres into the air. Tremors from the latest eruption, the eighth in six days, were felt in Kingstown, about 20km to the south. This time it was short and violent, lasting only about 15 minutes.

Seismologists waited for daylight to check whether the 1365-metre volcano had spewed fresh lava flows. The Barbados-based British High Commissioner (Mr

Stanley Arthur) will fly into St Vincent with another batch of British aid for the 15,000 people who have been evacuated to safe areas in the south of the island. A High Commission statement said the aid was made up of food and medical supplies, including typhoid vaccine, bought from $50,000 granted by the British Government. Aid has also been sent by Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Martinique, St Lucia, and the Caribbean Council of Churches. St Kitts and Guyana have promised assistance. At the 50 or so refugee centres set up since the first eruption last Friday there is still a shortage of supplies. Many refugees are sleeping in blankets on concrete floors, and nurses say more camp beds are needed.