CASTRIES, St Lucia: An explosion of steam and gas in the mountains of the remote, jungle-clad Caribbean island of Dominica has shaken residents, who are fearful it is a harbinger for renewed seismic activity in a nation that is home to nine volcanoes.
The Dominica Office of Disaster Management and the Seismic Research team said the activity in the Soufriere area on Wednesday was likely the result of a landslide, followed by subsequent geological adjustments.
In a statement, the office’s coordinator Fitzroy Pascal said there had been no volcanic earthquakes recorded in the area associated with “the strong steam degassing.”
“It is possible that the area may still be unstable and that additional landslides may occur with continued steam degassing,” Pascal said.
Dominica last suffered major phreatic or steam-drive…
