Officials Clear the Air About Mt. Liamuiga Viral Video

Disaster response officials are clearing the air surrounding concerns that have arisen over footage of bubbling pools at the crater at Mount Liamuiga.

The video which has been circulating on social media was taken by hikers in the crater who came across bubbling pools and pockets of steam.

This led to comments online expressing concern of whether this was a sign that Mount Liamuiga may be becoming active.

However Dr. Erouscilla Joseph of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre in Trinidad and Tobago said “this is just one feature of the entire geothermal area.  Temporary changes in hydrothermal features are expected as they respond to changes in gas and water availability below the surface.  So it would seem to be more active but that could just be due to a slight change in the gas or water from rainfall.”

The video has also prompted persons to worry that the recent eruption of La Soufriere in St. Vincent and the Grenadines could indicate that Mount Liamuiga may erupt as well. Dr Joseph said that is not the case.

She said “The eruption at La Soufriere cannot trigger an eruption at volcanoes on the other islands.  Each volcano has its own magma chamber and they are not linked”

Meanwhile, Forestry Officer Dr. Eric Browne said although the video seems very dramatic it’s nothing new and not dangerous.

He said what is being seen is called a fumarole.

“A fumarole is an area associated with a volcano where you have activity where heat is in an area and it causes a liquid area or a moist area to show either steam coming up or you’re gonna see it boiling as you see there,” he said.  “What happened is this: The only thing that is coming from below is heat.  There is no lava, no magma, no material that is coming up.”

He said the evidence of the last lava flow can be seen at Black Rocks which occurred centuries ago and there hasn’t been any evidence to indicate an eruption ever since.

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