Some residents refusing to move

Some of the Piparo residents at the stekaholders meeting in the area on Thursday.  PHOTO BY VASHTI SINGH
Some of the Piparo residents at the stekaholders meeting in the area on Thursday. PHOTO BY VASHTI SINGH

DESPITE being warned by experts that they should relocate from the areas surrounding the Piparo mud volcano, many residents are unwilling to do so.

Senior geoscientist at Touchstone Exploration, Xavier Moonan, was at a stakeholder meeting in the area on Thursday. He said while there is no equipment in TT to accurately assess exactly when the volcano will erupt again, recent drone surveys suggest it could be anytime soon.

“We are seeing the same signs that were seen in February 1997 when the volcano erupted, and this is why people should evacuate the area immediately.”

He said, in other countries one would have to travel long distances to see a mud volcano, but in TT people are actually living close to one.

One resident, Boyo Suratt, said come what may, he will not move. He fears he will lose his property to people who would just move in. “Whatever is to happen will happen, but I intend to live here.”

The volcano showed signs of activity about one week ago when it began rumbling and large cracks appeared in the surrounding areas. The cracks extended to the roadway and homes. Fidel Solomon, whose house was damaged, is asking the government to help him and his family find somewhere to live.

Local Government Minister, Kazim Hosein, told him he will raise the issue with Housing Minister Edmund Dillon. Also at the meeting were Princes Town MP Barry Padarath and Princes Town Regional Corporation chairman Gowrie Roopnarine.

While they are being told to evacuate the area, residents complained that the access roads in and out of the area are deplorable. They say, in case of an emergency, they would not be able to move out in quick time. Hosein said it is something he will address with Roopnarine and he would ensure the corporation gets the necessary materials to fix the roads.

About a complaint that many of the electricity poles were leaning and the wires hanging dangerously low, Hosein said he intends to speak with T&TEC general manager Kelvin Ramsook about that. He immediately called Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte and told him about the situation.

Hosein said he was disappointed that head of the disaster management unit in his ministry, Rishi Siew, had not yet reached out to the people of Piparo.

CEO of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, Rodney Smart, told the residents that the Police Commissioner has promised that the Victim and Support Unit under the police service will be made available in case of any emergency.

Padarath said the volcano is not the only thing rumbling in Piparo. He said the residents are crying out for help.

“Minister Hosein is saying he will look into the issues affecting the residents – mainly housing. I believe the government should treat Piparo as urgent and look into giving accommodation to the affected residents immediately."

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