TORONTO — St. Vincent and the Grenadines has issued an urgent call for help following last week’s volcanic eruption.
La Soufrière, which began erupting on April 9, has now begun to generate pyroclastic density currents, with accompanying ashfall and explosions likely to continue over the next few days at least.
Over 16,000 people have had to be evacuated from their homes in the Red Zone to the safer Green Zone to shelters, personal homes and hotels. Residents have also been transported off island onto cruise ships in the region that have rushed to assist in evacuation efforts.
The need for assistance is “tremendous,” says the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), as the country continues to struggle with excessive amounts of ashfall, water shortages and electricity outages. NEMO has released the following list of items in dire need. KLC Shippers in Toronto has agreed to offer free storage and shipment of these relief supplies from Canada to St. Vincent:
- Folding cots
- Blankets
- Tents (10x10ft or 20x20ft)
- Sleeping mats
- Respirator masks with filters
- Goggles
- Reflective vests
- Caution tape
- Hygiene kits
- Non-perishable food items
- Clothing (new)
- 5-gallon buckets
Relief items can be sent to/dropped off at:
KLC Shippers
50 Tiffield Road, Unit 15
Scarborough, ON
M1V 5B7
(416) 291-6733
People can also purchase items on Amazon.ca and send orders directly to the address above, to the attention of NEMO SVG.
Additionally, financial contributions can be made via a GoFundMe campaign that has been started by CARI-ON SVG Disaster Preparedness, a non-profit organization based in Toronto.
GlobalMedic, a Canadian charity and disaster response agency, has also organized a local relief effort, sending food and family emergency kits with water purification units and hygiene items to help displaced families in St. Vincent. Click to donate – from the dropdown ‘Fund’ menu, select ‘4 – Saint Vincent – Volcanic Eruption.’
For the most up-to-date information from NEMO, including government bulletins and status updates, go to https://www.facebook.com/nemosvg.
