The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) has issued a warning advising against visits to La Soufrière volcano due to elevated temperatures detected in the area. These thermal anomalies could signal potential risks, such as a sulphur fire in the crater, a small phreatic (steam) eruption exposing hot rocks, or the beginning of new lava extrusion.
La Soufrière has a history of explosive eruptions, with its most recent major event occurring on April 9, 2021, after a phase of effusive activity. This volcano has erupted twice in the past four decades, with significant eruptions in 1979 and 1902.
The latest temperature spike was detected by the NASA FIRMS hot spot detection system at the summit of the 4,000-foot volcano. NEMO strongly advises the public to stay away from the area until further updates are provided.
“According to information received from the Seismic Research Centre at 2:38 pm (local time) today a low thermal anomaly (temperatures above existing background/base levels) was detected at the summit of the La Soufriere volcano by the NASA FIRMS hot spot detection system on Sunday October 6, 2024,” NEMO said in a statement.
It said that “this low thermal anomaly as detected by NASA FIRMS is currently ongoing” and that analysis of multigas data collected on October 4 by NEMO Soufriere Monitoring Team, and further reconnaissance via sea along the west coast today are still underway.
“Further updates will be given following the analysis of the multigas data and the conclusions from the visual observations,” NEMO said, advising that the volcano still remains at a green alert level, meaning that the volcano is quiet; seismic and fumarolic (steam vent) activities are at or below the historical level at this volcano.
No other unusual activity has been observed.
NEMO said in the meantime, it is “advising persons not to visit the volcano at this time and that the La Soufriere Trail remain closed.”
“There should be no unauthorized visits to the summit until further notice,” it added.
