UN Staff SVG Volcanic Relief Fund
On 9 April 2021, after months of heightened activity, the La Soufrière volcano entered an explosive state on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Thanks to an efficient evacuation effort, no lives were lost. However, it is estimated that 20,000 persons have been displaced to date and the island nation’s entire population has been adversely impacted by the disaster in one way or another.
The eruption comes as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is recovering from its largest COVID-19 surge, and the region’s worst dengue outbreak in recent history. La Soufrière will likely continue to erupt in the coming weeks and maybe even months, causing what Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has described as “a slow-moving humanitarian disaster”. The long-term effects of a protracted eruption on agriculture and tourism, which are the mainstays of the Vincentian economy, will further exacerbate the already devastating socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.
This is a fundraising appeal launched by the United Nations Staff Relief Committee for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, chaired by HE Ambassador Rhonda King, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, under the auspices of the New York Staff Union. Please contribute what you can to help the proud and resilient people of St. Vincent overcome this devastating natural disaster. All proceeds will be deposited directly to the SVG Government’s Volcanic Emergency Relief Drive.
For first-hand reports on the situation on the ground, see this video produced by the office of the Resident Coordinator and additional media coverage.
https://easterncaribbean.un.org/en/125316-firsthand-encounter-impacts-la-soufriere-eruption-saint-vincent-and-grenadines-un-resident
