By Admin. Updated 4:28 p.m., Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
The Mustique Charitable Trust has announced funding for the construction of 41 houses in the volcanic red zone affected areas.
According to a press release from the Agency for Public Information – API, the construction of the houses will be done in collaboration with the Roads, Buildings and General Services Authority (BRAGSA).
According to the press release, chairman of the Mustique Charitable Trust, Roger Pritchard said the Mustique Charitable Trust was launched “to help disadvantaged persons in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with education, health care and in case of natural disasters”.
Pritchard pointed out that he was “pleased to hand over the 1st phase of the donation of the Volcano Emergency Relief Fund (VERF) which was able to raise 10 million dollars in three or four months,” the press release stated.
Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves commended the Mustique Charitable Trust for supporting St. Vincent and the Grenadines noting that it is important to recognize the $1.4US million donation that they have made.The Mustique Charitable Trust was established in 2008, the released added.
Many homes were destroyed, mainly due to heavy ash fall after the explosive eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano which began on April 9, 2021 and ended on April 22, 2021.
The Government has been funding the construction of homes for volcano-affected persons, including the creation of a new housing settlement with prefabricated houses at Orange Hill.
The current situation with the volcano , according to the National Emergency Management Organization – NEMO:
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the advice of Scientists from the Seismic Research Centre, University of the West Indies, has taken the decision to lower the Volcanic Alert Level from Yellow to Green, effective March 16, 2022. A GREEN alert means that seismic and fumarolic (steam vent) activity at the La Soufrière Volcano are at or below the historical level. No other unusual activity has been observed.
Activity at the La Soufrière volcano is now considered to be at levels similar to background activity recorded prior to the 2020-2021 eruption. The overall trend of decreasing seismicity continued during the last month.
No change in gas composition has been observed since measurements were taken in late January. This indicates that the plume chemistry has returned to its pre-eruption chemistry. There has been no significant change in deformation signal since May 2021.
The alert level was previously lowered from orange to yellow on September 15, 2021 and since then activities have lowered considerably or ceased.
The La Soufriere trail remains closed due to the uneven and dangerous terrain. The National Emergency Management Organisation is reminding the public of the potential threat for lahars (flood waters mixed with ash, other volcanic materials, mud, debris, and rocks) after rainfall and the threat to persons living and moving across river valleys closer to the volcano.
Residents and motorists in areas close to the volcano and persons traversing rivers and streams during periods of heavy rainfall should always remain vigilant.
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