Fears of an impending volcanic eruption led to forced evacuations on the Caribbean island of Sant Vicenç on Thursday.
Cruise lines were expected to arrive on the island on Thursday night to bring people living near La Soufrière volcano to safety, island officials said.
It is unclear how many people will be evacuated or where they will be taken.
La Soufriere is located on the north side of St. Vincent and could be seen shining on Thursday night, after days of seismic activity in the region.
The coronavirus pandemic could complicate evacuation, as displaced residents will have to be vaccinated to board ships, according to Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Gonsalves said he was asking other island nations to take in refugees, even if they did not have a passport.
“This is an emergency situation and everyone understands it,” he said.
More than 100,000 people live in the country, which includes 32 islands, most uninhabited.
The Soufriere last erupted in 1979. An eruption in 1902 killed approximately 1,600 people.
With AP cables
