St Vincent warns of water shortages as volcano eruptions continue

Caribbean island is blanketed with ash from La Soufriere volcano, ruining crops and contaminating water supplies.

Officials on the Caribbean island of St Vincent have warned that residents are facing water shortages, as ash from La Soufriere volcano has contaminated local supplies. The volcano erupted again around 6am local time (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday – the fifth-straight day of explosions – and sent plumes of smoke into the air, as well as ash and other volcanic material flowing down its flanks. Between 16,000 and 20,000 people have been evacuated from areas near the volcano, including about 3,000 who are staying in more than 80 government-run shelters.