Fears of an impending volcanic eruption led to mandatory evacuations on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent on Thursday.
Cruise lines were expected to arrive on the island on Thursday evening to get people living near La Soufriere volcano to safety, according to aid workers on the island.
It is not clear how many people will be evacuated or where they will be taken.
La Soufriere is on the north side of St. Vincent and was glowing on Thursday evening after days of seismic activity in the region.
The coronavirus pandemic could complicate evacuation as displaced residents must be vaccinated to board the ships, said Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Gonsalves said he asked other island states to welcome refugees, even if they don’t have a passport.
“This is an emergency, and everyone understands that,” he said.
More than 100,000 people live in the country, including 32 islands, most of which are uninhabited.
La Soufrière last erupted in 1979. An eruption in 1902 killed about 1,600 people.
With AP wires
