Soufriere monitoring equipment vandalised, solar panels stolen

The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) is making an urgent plea for members of the public not to tamper with, or remove any equipment that is being used to monitor activity at La Soufiere volcano.

This call comes after the Soufriere Monitoring Unit visited the site at Greiggs on March 30 2022 where a seismic station is installed and found that the wires to the seismic station were cut and the solar panel removed. This

site was established in June, 2021 after the explosive eruptions of the volcano. It means that no data is available from this site.

Director of the Seismic Research Centre, Dr. Erouscilla Joseph, said, “This station forms part of the improved network for monitoring La Soufrière volcano. Without this equipment we cannot monitor earthquakes or the volcano effectively. This is a real concern as, given the recent eruptions in 2020-2021, La Soufrière must be closely monitored at all times to ensure public safety”.

NEMO is urging anyone with information on damage to the seismic station to report it to the nearest police station or contact the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force at 457-1211 or 456-2906.