St. Vincent: “Only Those Vaccinated Allowed To Flee Rumbling Vulcano’
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – The prime minister of Saint Vincent island has warned residents fleeing a rumbling volcano that only those vaccinated against the coronavirus can be brought to safety.
Ralph Gonsalves announcement came as residents escaping a massive, nearly 10 kilometer (6 miles) high eruption of ashes from the Soufriere volcano tried to board cruise ships.
“The chief medical officer would be identifying the persons already vaccinated so that we can get them on the ship,” Gonsalves told reporters.
“Those that are vaccinated, [the chief medical officer] can get them going on the vessel,” the prime minister said.
He explained that there were not enough personnel operating the ships to retain evacuees on them; they can only transport passengers.
However, the World Health Organization estimates that only 10,805 residents of the tiny eastern Caribbean island of 100,000 received at least one vaccine dose.
The island had 10 coronavirus deaths and nearly 1,800 COVID-18 cases, according to official estimates.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a heavily Protestant island, did not experience volcanic activity since 1979. That eruption caused about 100 million in damages. La Soufriere’s blast in 1902 killed more than 1,000 people.
Footage showed that Saint Vincent was blanketed with a thin layer of ash. Residents said a “strong sulfur” smell hung in the air after the nearby volcano spectacularly erupted Friday.
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