ReliefWeb

This situation report is produced by the United Nations Sub-Regional Team (UNST) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It is issued by the Office of the Resident Coordinator with the support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Lahars (mudflows) continue to pose a dangerousthreat to the river valleys surrounding the volcano, including Wallibou and Rabacca. Mudflows observed over the past several days have contained boulders up to 5m (15 feet) in diameter.

• On 6 May, officials announced that the alert level of La Soufriere changed to ORANGE or pre-explosive eruption state. The UWI Seismic Research Centre said on 6 May that Seismic activity at La Soufrière has remained low since the tremor associated with the explosion and ash venting on 22 April.

• At alert level ORANGE, the volcano may resume explosions with less than twenty-four hours of notice.

• Approximately USD 6.2 million (21percent) has been raised under the USD 29.2 million UN Global Funding Appeal launched on 20 April to support Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. This total includes both funds repurposed and mobilized by UN agencies, as well as pipeline funding.

• The cash and environment guidance has been finalised. The guidance looks at environmental considerations on possible cash and voucher assistance in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It will be disseminated to cash and voucher contacts, cash actors, and the Ministry of Social Mobilisation in Saint Vincent. For more information, click here.

• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) produced a preliminary report of the ash observed over Barbados after La Soufrière volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent. You can download this report from here.