41 years ago on #GoodFriday my research #volcano La Soufrière on St. Vincent erupted The eruption didn’t kill anybody, and mainly caused widespread nuisance of ash fall and even impacted Barbados (like it always does!) Photos in thread donated by Vincy Lance Peters (1/n)

The eruption was different compared to the previous ones in 1971-72, 1902-03 and 1812. 1971-72 has been described as an “aseismic” effusive eruption. Aseismic means there was little to no earthquake signals recorded while a lava dome formed. By 1976, the crater lake was gone!

1979 was special occurring on the Good Friday. It’s tradition amongst many on the island to hike up the volcano on the day. So it was good that it at least started early in the morning, where many (women and children mainly) were awake preparing for the big feasts planned...

Weather is also an interesting factor here. April is the dry season, so not much rain falls at all. Some people who heard the explosions were like “thunder on a Good Friday? No, that has to be Soufrière”. Sight is also a factor. If it’s cloudy, it’s very hard to see the summit...

...Each eruption the responses from people either east or west of the volcano depended on what they could see at the summit. It was people on the eastern flank this time who first noticed, having a clearer line of sight and noticing the ash by at least 7am...

Whereas people west did also notice ash falling around the same time, but were a little bit more confused because they couldn’t see the summit. People south of the volcano didn’t notice until much later in the morning, when they noticed “the huge cauliflower in the sky”

Now response varies from community-to-community and household-to-household. Cars were not as numerous on the island as they are now, but those who had them, left for family and friends south of the island and taking as many as they could. Elderly and the sick were prioritised...

One man I interviewed on the nearest town on the leeward side of the island, Chateaubelair, had a car. He told me he drove his family to a friend’s place south of the island and then volunteered to go back and forth to get the sick out of the town and to the capital’s hospital...

Whilst another man from the same time, didn’t have a car and was not as well off. He told me that him, his wife and son, left promptly by walking to the nearest town of Barrouallie (where my grandfather is from!) “with nothing but the clothes on our backs”...

People in the north had to get out the quickest, as there was a critical route that goes across a river valley called Rabacca Dry River. Rabacca historically was the source of lahars and PDCs. Fortunately, most were prompt in leaving and interestingly took extra measures...

...one woman I spoke to a village quite close in the north to Soufrière was also a Garifuna (descendants of runaway slaves who intermarried with the original indigenous group Kalinago). She said that her grandmother told stories of the last eruption in 1902-03. So when her kids..

...came running to her asking her what was on their shirts, she said “I know what this is, this ash from Soufrière, my grandmother told me about this”, and they promptly covered their water tanks to avoid contamination and cover their fishing boat so it didn’t rust.

Other Garifuna I spoke to also had stories passed down to them of the last eruption. This was less the case the further south I went. My family also have stories of 1902-03 and have passed onto me...it also turns out we are descendants of the Garifuna...anyway, more pictures!

As I mentioned, most impacts came from the ash fall. But there were also reported pyroclastic density currents and lahars. But they were less extensive and severe (in terms to people), than in 1812 and 1902-03. Upper reaches of the environment did get impacted however.

People north were evacuated south, or to the Grenadine island of Bequia or to Barbados. Those on the main island of St. Vincent were in makeshift centres of churches, schools and other public buildings. Some managed to stay with friends and family.

The explosive phase of the eruption was about 2 weeks but there was another phase that lasted until 1983. The formation of a lava dome, that was similar to the 1971-72 event in that it was quite quiet and gentle. Left is about a week after explosive activity, and right is in 2016

What I find so fascinating about the eruption (other than the people’s response and reconstructing the event) is how the environment today looks like nothing ever happened. I visited in 2016. Photo on left is near the mouth of Rabacca Dry River and right is on the Soufrière trail

Anyway, I’ll end this thread, I need to get back to do some work (no rest for the wicked I’m afraid!). If you’ve enjoyed this thread, know that I’m out of a job by the end of July, so won’t happen often. Until then, here’s a moment of the 1812 eruption: https://twitter.com/i/events/965968600388591617