The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) has shipped a 20-foot container of supplies to St Vincent and the Grenadines to assist residents there who have been displaced by the recent volcanic eruption.
The items, which left the island on Monday evening include water, water tanks, blankets, generators, mosquito nets, cots, towels, sheets, lanterns and flashlights, a release from NODS said.
Some of the items were contributed by local businesses and organisations, while others were taken from the national warehouse.
“According to information coming out of St Vincent, the need now is for water, dry goods and toiletries. Requests are being made for bulk water instead of smaller bottles,” the release added.
“NODS is encouraging those wishing to donate towards the relief effort to contact the office. Donations received will be for general distribution and persons are asked not to send packages for families, relatives or friends.”
Meanwhile, the Antigua and Barbuda Met Office advised that volcanic emissions from the La Soufriere Volcano in St Vincent could affect the twin island nation and the wider northeast Caribbean on Wednesday morning.
This could be as a result of a shift of winds at the lower levels of the atmosphere, it added.
According to the Met Office, the chance of emissions reaching the islands is low, but there is a reasonable worst-case scenario of it happening.
However, in the event that it occurs, the impact would be minor, but for mainly unusually sensitive people, to include asthmatics, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children, the threat of health problems would be elevated.
Therefore, such persons are advised to avoid unnecessary exposure to the ash.