St. Vincent: Orange Alert After Magma Expulsion From Volcano

Authorities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines set an "orange alert" after La Soufriere volcano began releasing magma on Tuesday.

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Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves warned the inhabitants of the north of the Caribbean island to prepare for an eventual evacuation in areas ranging from Georgetown to Fancy.

The Seismic Research Unit (SRU) of the University of the East Indies (UWI) requested to avoid tourist visits to that region because of increased activity at La Soufriere, a volcano that released a high cloud of steam.

The SRU professor Richard Robertson reported that what is "happening now is serious" and that evacuation notices must be made 48 hours in advance.

He also recalled that signs of light volcanic activity have been detected since November 16.

At 4,049 ft, La Soufriere is the highest peak on Saint Vincent, which is a densely populated island with over 100,000 inhabitants.

This volcano has been active since July 1995, and the last time it erupted was in 1979. Its geological history also records violent eruptions in 1718, 1812, 1902, and 1971.