Over the past 24 hours there has ben a slight decrease in activity at the Soufriere Hills Volcano with the recent swarms of volcano-tectonic earthquakes having stopped. There have been rockfall signals but these too have reduced in number. Early this morning (Wednesday) there was a regional earthquake recorded but its exact position is not known at present.
Excellent visibility yesterday allowed scientists clear views of the dome and it is clear that the new dome (dome # 4) growing in the scar of January 20th continues to grow quickly.
Yesterdays rockfalls were small in number but one did develop into a pyroclastic flow in mid afternoon. The material travelled down the north west face of the dome. There has also been some rockfalls from the outside of the Galways Wall.
As the dome continues to grow the dangers of future collapse increase and this makes the Tar River Valley/ Long Ground and Upper Galways areas very dangerous.
The alert level remains at ORANGE and the W. H. Bramble Airport remains open as normal. The alert sirens will be tested throughout the island this afternoon.
Government Information Service