The Independent: “The St Vincent volcano of La Soufriere erupted in an explosion of ash and hot gas just days after the island’s prime minister said only people vaccinated against Covid could evacuate via cruise ship. Experts said Monday’s eruption, the largest since the volcanic activity began last week, was ‘destroying everything in its path’ and posed a serious threat to residents yet to evacuate. About 16,000 people were evacuated before eruptions began but an unknown number remained behind or refused to leave, according to the Associated Press. St Vincent prime minister Ralph Gonsalves said on Saturday that empty cruise ships in the area were being rerouted to help the evacuation, but that people would need to be fully vaccinated to be accepted. ‘The chief medical officer would be identifying the persons already vaccinated so that we can get them on the ship,’ Mr Gonsalves said. He said the ships aren’t fully staffed to keep evacuees on the ships, but that they can transport them to neighbouring islands if they are already vaccinated.”