St. Vincents and the Grenadines Volcano Disaster - St Vincent Rotary Club Accepting Donations Now 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Volcano Disaster Needs Rotary's help. Maureen Bird (RC Toronto), Hal Allen (RC Whitby-Sunrise) and Steve Rutledge (RC Whitby -Sunrise) have a presentation they would like your club to see and how your club can help right now. When you see their presentation and the devastation that the volcanic ash has created, you will want to help the people. District Governor Mark Chipman is urging all clubs in our District to help.

Rotary District 7070 Clubs and individuals can send funds directly to the St. Vincent Rotary Club or they can send funds through the Rotary Club of Toronto and Maureen Bird can show you how. The St. Vincent Rotary Club has their feet on the ground donating 6,000 hours of work, two warehouses and a communication system. Please contact Toronto Rotarian Maureen Bird (maureen.bird@rotarytoronto.com). She and her team is available to answer any questions and can put on an excellent and compelling  presentation to your club.

The Rotary Club of Toronto is matching donations up to $10,000 to help the residents of St. Vincent. To make a credit card donation go to their website: www.rotarytoronto.com. Select the ‘Make a Donation’ button, Scroll down to Philanthropic Fund (not the Charitable Foundation), choose St. Vincent Volcano Disaster from dropdown designation box. If you are a Rotarian, enter your club name in the PO Box. You will get a tax receipt.

REPORT ON VOLCANO DISASTER IN ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

29^th April, 2021

BACKGROUND

From 29th December 2020 to 7th April 2021, the alert level for the La Soufrière volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was elevated to Level Orange because of increased activity and an ongoing effusive eruption. An Orange Level alert means that there is highly elevated seismicity or fumarolic activity, or both, and other highly unusual symptoms. Eruptions may occur with less than 24 hours notice.

On the 8th of April, following significant seismic activity, there was an explosive event at the volcano site. Immediately following an emergency meeting of Cabinet and the National Emergency Council, the alert level was raised to Red and an Evacuation Order Issued to evacuate everyone in the Red and Orange zones to the Green zone.  This early action prevented loss of life.

On April 9th at approximately 8:41am the La Soufrière volcano entered an explosive eruptive phase with the first column of ash as high as 10km. (Courtesy CDEMA)

A second explosive eruption was observed at 2:45pm AST, April 9^th 2021, and the vertical ash column, which was estimated to have risen approximately 4km into the atmosphere, could be seen from the capital in the south.  Ash from these eruptions seriously compromised the island as well as the island of Barbados 100 miles (160 km) to the east. As a result, the Airspaces were closed, and commercial activity was halted for a few days.

The Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados reopened on April 16th, 2021 and Argyle International Airport St Vincent reopened on Saturday April 24, 2021

From April 9^th to 22^nd, 2021, there have been in excess of 30 explosive eruptions, of which over 20 occurred from April 9^th to 10^th.  The volcano is still in an eruptive stage and the alert level remains at red.  (Courtesy the University of the West Indies, Seismic Research Centre).

GENERAL ACTIVITY

Just prior to the start of the series of explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano, most of the persons living in the north of the island, amounting to approximately 18% of the population, had to be evacuated to safe zones in the south. The extent of property damage incurred to date has not been completely assessed however it is apparent that the damage is substantial. Keep in mind, all of this is happening against the backdrop of dengue fever, Covid-19, for which evacuees in shelters are particularly vulnerable and a hurricane season that will start in 4 weeks.

The team of Volcanologists monitoring the ongoing eruptions are unable to predict, currently, how long the volcano is likely to continue to erupt. Speculation ranges from days to months.

Relief efforts are ongoing and the Rotary Clubs in St. Vincent are currently focused on the immediate needs of evacuees, which include providing food, water, toiletries and cleaning supplies to the Evacuees.

ROTARY RESPONSE

St Vincent is home to two Rotary Clubs, The Rotary Club of St Vincent and Rotary Club of St Vincent South as well as the Rotaract Club of Kingstown.  Based on the number of Rotarians available and their average time dedicated to the relief effort, it is estimated that over 6,000 hours of service has been extended over the last 3 weeks

The Rotary family is involved in many aspects of relief including but not limited to:

• Receipt of donations at the Port

• Warehousing and Inventory of same

• Transport of items to shelters… water, food etc.

• Transport of hot meals where available

• Source and supply requested items which occurs daily.

• Restock warehouse overnight to meet morning demand.

• Prepare lists of promised items and follow through shipping ETA etc.

• Delivery of supplies to evacuees in private shelters.

The extent of the displacement and shelters is shown in the table below.

Rotarians from District 7030 (to which St Vincent is a part) have rendered immediate assistance and cash to the Clubs in St Vincent. The water supply in the island was compromised for several days, hence early pleas for water generated a substantial response worldwide. For this we are grateful. The amount of water received from Rotary Clubs in the islands total over 80,000 liters to date, a phenomenal response.

The water supply has been brought back on stream for the most part now, and despite some challenges, has alleviated the crisis to a large extent. The local water bottling has restarted production hence at this time, there is not an urgent need for bottled water.

Despite heavy ash falls, Kingstown the capital city, in the South, has remained relatively safe mainly due to the topography of St Vincent. There is some level of commercial activity and food suppliers, supermarkets and pharmacies are functioning and meeting immediate basic needs.

GOING FORWARD

The greater need now is for funding.  Needs are very fluid and funding makes it logistically easier to meet needs more efficiently, without overstocking on any particular item.  Funds will be further needed over the medium and long term. 

In the near to medium term, there is a need to make the evacuees more comfortable in the shelters and affording them some privacy and improving on their basic amenities; as well as ongoing clean-up of the island from ash and debris. 

In the long-term, we will have to rehabilitate the economy, partially by assisting the displaced persons with housing; farmers with the replenishing of livestock and plants; re-forestation of the northern part of the island; and the re-starting of fishing and other industries that support many of the families affected.

Based on the information provided above, we believe that monetary donations are the best way to efficiently and effectively improve the situation for the evacuees and the country.

On the ground in St Vincent, our lead Rotarian is DGND Brian Glasgow, fully supported by Presidents Annette Mark, Phyllis James and Franke Joseph and all club members.  Brian is the recently retired head of Regional Operations for KPMG, and heads a team that will utilize the funds donated to the Rotary Clubs of St. Vincent’s relief effort in an appropriate and efficient manner.

The Rotarians and people of St Vincent deeply appreciate your support and thank you for your generous assistance. 

Report prepared on 22/4/21 by PDG David Edwards, Disaster Response Coordinator, Rotary District 7030 and amended and updated with permission, on 29/4/21 by:  Mikasha Ramsaran, Club Administrator for Rotary Club of St. Vincent.

CANADIAN DOLLARS

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