16th April 2021
LA SOUFRIÈRE BULLETIN #65 APRIL 16, 2021 9:30 P.M
- Seismic activity at La Soufrière, continued as before with tremor and a near-constant swarm of long-period and hybrid earthquakes.
- There was one episode of high-level tremor at 6:15 am which lasted about three minutes and was followed by over two hours of lower-level tremor. This was generated by explosive activity and venting
- Measurements of sulphur dioxide flux at La Soufriere volcano was again undertaken along the west coast today with the assistance of the coastguard.
- Several traverses were done by boat and yielded an average SO2 flux of 460 tons per day. No conclusion can be yet made regarding the significance of the SO2 flux until a more robust database has been established through repeated measurements over the upcoming days.
- The continuous GPS network shows a signal consistent with depressurization of the magma reservoir following the initiation of explosive activity on 9th April 2021.
- The GPS stations at Belmont (SVGB) and Georgetown (SVGG), the only two remaining in the network continue to trend NE and NW respectively
- The volcano continues to erupt although explosive activity appears to have ended at this time. Its current pattern of seismic activity may indicate growth of a lava dome, but this has not yet been confirmed.
- Explosions with accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger magnitude, could restart in the future.
- Alert level remains RED.
- Eighty-seven shelters with 4,166 occupants are now activated.
- Some three thousand seven hundred and eighteen persons (3718) are being housed in private shelter.
- A total of 1,459 families have been displaced so far.
- The National Emergency Operations Center continues to be fully functional operating on a twenty-four hour, around the clock basis.
- NEMO will continue to provide regular updates on activities at the Volcano as they occur.
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