HAVANA, April 9. /TASS/. The leadership of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has begun evacuation resident of several areas of the nation located in close proximity to the La Soufriere volcano that has awakened, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said via Twitter Thursday.

"I have issued an evacuation order to all residents living in the RED ZONES on the North East and the North West of the island. All residents are asked to act accordingly with immediate effect to ensure their safety and that of their families," the politician wrote.

Serious volcanic activity has not been seen in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a country with a population of more than 100,000 people, since 1979. One of the largest eruptions of La Soufriere took place in 1902, killing more than 1,000 people.