Crushed by Ash and Stone: La Soufrière Destroys Two Church Buildings in St Vincent

• La Soufrière’s largest eruption since 1978 forced nearly 20,000 people to evacuate
• The Sandy Bay Church of Christ was crushed by falling ash and stone
• The Owia Church of Christ lost its roof and an exterior wall
• The Biabou church building became an aid distribution centre

The eruption of La Soufrière in April 2021 destroyed two church buildings in northern St Vincent, The Christian Chronicle reported.

The volcano’s largest eruption since 1978 destroyed its dome, created a new crater and sent pyroclastic flows down the north side of the island. Nearly 20,000 people were evacuated, crops and animals were killed, there was an island-wide water shortage and schools were turned into shelters. Ash spread as far as Barbados.

The Sandy Bay Church of Christ was crushed by falling ash and stone. At Owia, the church’s roof and an exterior wall collapsed, likely from earthquake activity. “Anything that was there, man, animal, anything … they are gone,” said Richard Robertson.

Church leaders appointed Maxwell Ince as relief coordinator and designated the Biabou Church of Christ building as an aid distribution centre. Joel Jack noted that “It is still possible to purchase a lot of what is needed on the island,” and relief funds were directed through partner charities in the United States. Elvis Daniel said: “God is good and will not allow us to experience more than we can bear.”

The damage shows how exposed buildings in the volcano’s shadow are. Heavy wet ash can overload a roof in a way that wind does not, and earthquakes before and during an eruption add to the strain. Rebuilding in the same place raises hard questions about risk, insurance and whether congregations should relocate.

Jamaica has no active volcano, but it does face earthquakes and hurricanes, and church buildings often serve as shelters. Churches planning new buildings or repairs should design roofs and walls to current structural standards, consider whether their site is in a flood, landslide or other hazard zone, and keep insurance and building records up to date so that rebuilding can start quickly.

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