Soufriere volcano eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean island of St Vincent has been rocked by an explosive eruption of La Soufrière volcano, which spewed clouds of ash miles into the air a day and forced thousands to flee for safety. The country’s National Emergency Management Organisation (Nemo) confirmed on Twitter that the 4,049-foot volcano had erupted on Friday morning and warned residents to leave the surrounding areas. Pictures shared on social media showed towering plumes of gas and volcanic matter billowing into the sky above the volcano, and heavy ash fall was reported in the surrounding areas. “The majesty that is La Soufrière is awake in all her terrifying glory,” tweeted Heidi Badenock, a lawyer on the island. Nemo said that the ash plume had reached 20,000ft and was drifting eastwards into the Atlantic Ocean. Erouscilla Joseph, director of the University of the West Indies Seismic Centre, warned that further eruptions could be imminent. “More explosions could occur,” she told the AP.