Residents living near the Piparo mud volcano are being urged to remain on high alert, as they may be required to evacuate if conditions worsen.
The advice comes from Engineering Seismologist at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Ilias Papadopoulos, who said underground activity poses serious risks to infrastructure, agriculture and tourism.
“The gas emissions are not that dangerous. It is not volcanic gas emissions, so the gas emissions are not really a considerable problem, but they need to be ready to evacuate if things escalate.”
Dr. Papadopoulos noted that while gas emissions are not directly linked to volcanic activity, the natural phenomenon is caused by the build-up of seawater that became trapped beneath the ground’s subsurface over several decades, leading to pressurised zones that can force mud and gas through the surface if pressure persists.
Due to heightened activity recorded in Piparo on the 24th of December, the area has faced infrastructural damage, particularly along roads, pushing the ground apart and causing it to lift, along with the formation of cracks in buildings and other surfaces.
As activity heightens, Dr. Papadopoulos noted that effects can ripple beyond infrastructure, greatly impacting the area’s tourism and agricultural livelihood.
“The general area – if you visit Piparo, it is full of cracks on the roads, off the roads, in the fields, so yes, it will affect in terms of how the surface is appearing. Close to the main vent, there is no vegetation, and I think they are not allowed to do agriculture there, but in the general area, there are these cracks that can affect by making trees fall and affecting the crops.”
Dr. Papadopoulos noted that with the installation of seismic sensors, authorities are able to monitor any volcanic action occurring in the area.
“So they have a system very close to the main vent that is monitoring if the surface is inflating or deflating. So if it inflates, it means that something underneath is building pressure. We can do what we call full monitoring. We are using geophysical measures for the general area where we are seeing how the subsurface is, and we can do that through time, let’s say once a month, twice a month, and we can see as time passes how things change in the subsurface system.”
While there is little that can be done to mitigate volcanic activity, Dr. Papadopoulos continues to urge Piparo residents to stay on high alert and be prepared for immediate evacuation if conditions escalate.