A Community Coming Together; spirited relief efforts for the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

As you look up in the sky, what seems like snowflakes is actually ash, a disturbing reminder for residents on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In the coastal town of Barrouallie, about nine miles from the volcano, families are trudging towards shelters, carrying whatever they could pack; duffel bags, shopping bags, and backpacks stuffed with personal belongings.

For some it has become a decision of do I stay or do I go? The pandemic has made this choice even more difficult after citizens of the island were told that they would need to be vaccinated if they choose to go aboard ships evacuating people from the island, or if they opt to go to a shelter. For some families, regardless of their choice they will have to face the fact that they will be separated from their families. Authorities have made it clear that those who stay in shelters will be tested for COVID-19, and that anyone who tests positive will be taken to an isolation centre.

All of this came to be after scientist’s noted seismic activity at 3:00 a.m. last Thursday. The activity indicated that magma was on the move close to the surface. As predicted, the La Soufrière volcano erupted on Friday morning, with scientists warning that the eruptions may continue for several days to weeks. Around 20,000 residents living in the “red zone” were told that they would have to quickly evacuate their homes.

The last time La Soufrière erupted was in1979, and the previous disastrous eruption was in 1902, which killed about 1,600 people. The volcano stands at 3,864 feet above sea level, and according to the Seismic Research Centre has previously erupted in 1718, 1812, and 1814.

According to experts and scientists who are keeping a watchful eye on the volcano, the ash column rose more than 20,000 feet high and the majority of the ash is heading northeast into the Atlantic Ocean.

Most recent updates speak about massive power outages on the island, and according to sources on the ground, it is day four, and everything looks like a battle zone. The skies are bleak, and grey, and the ash is beginning to harden on the ground due to the showers that have followed the explosion. Tweets are coming from the island sharing with the world that many homes are still without water and electricity.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines now faces multiple crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of dengue fever, and now the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano.

In our usual fashion, organizations and individuals across Toronto are rallying together to provide assistance to the island. If you want to donate, your time, or supplies, here are a few businesses and organizations that are leading the charge. If you know of any more efforts, please email them to info@carib101.com, so that we can continue to update the community.

CARI-ON
CARI-ON is a disaster preparedness organization located in the Greater Toronto Area. They are working closely with the St. Vincent and Grenadines Consul General to Toronto and the National Management Organization of SVG to coordinate community groups and individuals wishing to contribute to relief efforts.

Donations can be made by: etransfer, or GoFundMe. They ask that you kindly share this information with friends and family.

Etransfer: carionsvgvolcanorelief@gmail.com

GoFundMe: St. Vincent Emergency Aid – Help Needed!

$23,082 raised; Goal is $100,000

Hayden Jones (Chair, CARI-ON): 1-416-889-3293, or email carion.org@gmail.com

Gideon Exeter: 1-416-992-4253

Sandra Sutherland: 1-647-706-0732

Bev Adams: 1-647-462-5441

Taste of Life Restaurant
This is a Vincentian restaurant located at 9 Milvan Drive, in Toronto Ontario. You can drop off food and clothing donations to Unit #5. They are in the process of packing barrels to send down in aid of families living in St.Vincent.

1 Resource Services Corporation, Black Ottawa Business Network Social Group and Aroma Salt Therapy & Beauty Spa

9 – 1021 Cyrville Rd, Ottawa , ON

Friday at 5 PM EDT – 8 PM EDT

Price: Free · Duration: 3 hr.

Public  · Anyone on or off Facebook

They are also taking donations and asking for assistance for the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

It is wonderful to see communities coming together during difficult times. It is times like this that true humanity shows through, and even if it is for a brief minute, we can focus on helping each other.