Fears of an impending volcanic eruption led to forced evacuations on the island of St. Vincent of the Caribbean.
The cruise lines were supposed to arrive on the island on Thursday night to bring people living near La Soufrière volcano safe, emergency officials on the island said.
It is unclear how many people will be evacuated or where they will be taken.
La Soufriere is located in the northern part of Saint Vincent and could be seen shining until Thursday evening, after days of seismic activity in the region.
The coronavirus pandemic could complicate evacuation, as displaced people will have to be vaccinated to board ships, according to Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. 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 and everyone understands that,” he said.
More than 100,000 people live in the country, which includes 32 islands – most uninhabited.
La Soufriere last erupted in 1979. A 1902 eruption killed about 1,600 people.
With AP wires
