Professor Richard Robertson, Director of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, while speaking on radio earlier, discussed the most recent pyroclastic flows that have taken place at the La Soufriere volcano.
Robertson said that the glow from the flows also known as Pyroclastic Density Currents (PDCs) could be seen at night from the Belmont Observatory as they are incandescent. According to the professor the PDCs seem to have mainly gone towards the east, which is an indication that it must have gone into the Rabacca River, saying that based on the fact that there were multiple pulses, there is a possibility that the flows may have gotten as far as the coastline. He noted that one or two flows may have gone to the west but the majority had been directed at the east.
Professor Robertson also discussed the increase of the intervals between the volcano’s explosions, stating that this may be an indication that at some point we may have a period of quiet with no explosions. He however said that although that period of quite may come, the volcano is likely to resume exploding following that period of quiet.
