In Saint-Vincent, the volcanic eruption raises fears of heavy economic consequences

A thick layer of ash covers the village of Sandy Bay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, April 18, 2021. REUTERS - ROBERTSON S. HENRY

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Since April 9, the volcano of La Soufrière, located in Guadeloupe, in the south of the island of Basse-Terre, erupted, which had not happened since 1979. If it did not. of deaths, thousands of inhabitants in Saint-Vincent had to be evacuated all the same and the economic consequences could be heavy for this archipelago. 

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Small archipelago located in the Caribbean, south of the French Antilles, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the country which suffers the most from the consequences linked to the eruption of the volcano of La Soufrière, in Guadeloupe.

Almost 20% of the population, that is to say 20,000 inhabitants out of 100,000 and some that make up this small country, have already had to be evacuated from areas that have become uninhabitable and unusable.

To read also: Eruption of the volcano La Soufrière: the Saint-Vincent island deprived of electricity

This state which lives mainly on tourism risks losing 50% of its GDP, according to Camillo Goncalves, the Minister of Finance.

Worse, it could force it back into the debt market, knowing that the worst-hit areas are in what is considered the agricultural belt, a sector that is one of the country's biggest employers.

This situation, considered catastrophic by Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of the country, forced the United Nations to launch an appeal for donations on Wednesday, to the tune of just over $ 29.2 million to supply the population with water, in food and shelter. 

The UN has already released a million dollars in emergency but " 

much more is necessary

 ", pleaded Didier Trebucq, the UN coordinator for Barbados and the eastern Caribbean.

He went there for two days and according to him the landscape has become " 

apocalyptic

 ".

The tons of ash produced by the explosions of the La Soufrière volcano having mingled with recent rains.

A situation that could get even worse, warned Ralph Gonsalves, as the hurricane season is expected to begin soon. 

To read also: Eruption of the Soufrière volcano: mutual aid is organized in the Caribbean

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  • Guadeloupe

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

  • Natural disasters