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Residents told mud volcano still active

MORE fractures have formed around the Piparo mud volcano over the last few days as the geological feature remains unsettled and active.

In its third update to residents on January 1, a team of University of the West Indies (UWI) researchers said data showed the underground system has been “breathing” with pressure building and releasing through existing and newly formed cracks. At monitoring well #3, near the main vent, the fluctuation had a general downward trend.

“The overall decrease suggests there is temporary relief of pressure, but the continued fluctuations show that the system remains active and has not stabilised. Ongoing monitoring is necessary,” the report said.

To the north-west, at monitoring well #6, the researchers also found fluctuating pressure, but noted that additional cracks that formed between December 29 and 30 led to a sharp decrease in pressure, going from about 61 pounds per square inch (PSI) to 59.

“After this temporary release, pressure continued to rise and fall again, showing that the underground system remains active and has not stabilised, with fractures acting as intermittent pathways for pressure relief. Ongoing monitoring is necessary.”

Up to December 31, the pressure continued to fluctuate between 59 and 61 PSI.

While the report noted the new fractures allowed temporary pressure release, the risk to the surrounding community remains high.

As a result, the latest advisory maintained warnings for residents to stay alert, not approach the main crater or highly fractured areas, to report any new cracks, gas emissions or ground movement and to follow guidance from all local authorities and emergency services.

Heightened activity at the volcano on December 24 led to ground movement, which partially destroyed at least two houses, collapsed roadways, rendering one impassable and disconnected utilities. The UWI team’s assessment determined the event could have been triggered by tectonic compression or human-induced environmental changes (anthropogenic events).

“In the period leading up to this event, there were no reported significant seismic activity, which is typically associated with fault movement, nor extended periods of rainfall that could hydrologically load the pressurised mud fluid zones. Therefore, the cause of the heightened activity may be due to anthropogenic events or tectonic compression.”

It also found that while the system remains active, the mud and pressure have been flowing away from the main vent in a north-westerly direction.

The UWI team has since called for urgent funding so it could enhance its ability to monitor, predict, and mitigate eruption risks.

“The data will then be fed into risk assessment and delineation of hazard zonation maps for at-risk communities,” the report said.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management convened a meeting at the Piparo Community Centre with first responders, including the TT Fire Service, TT Police Service, TT Electricity Commission, and disaster management units of the Princes Town and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo regional corporations.

Newsday understands the UWI researchers presented their reports to the responders, which would be used to assess the emergency response plan.

Pressure rises at Piparo mud volcano

EXPLODING gases and mud have subsided at the Piparo mud volcano, but a UWI research team has maintained its warning that the community is at high risk for an eruption and ground movement, as data shows pressure continues to build underground.

In a second report issued to the community on December 30, the research team, spearheaded by professor of geomechanics and geophysics Oshaine Blake and PhD Geoscience candidate Kerneese Ramjarrie, reiterated that the mud was moving to the northwest of the main vent, with sensors there (monitoring well #6) showing a build-up of pressure following the December 24 heightened activity. During last week’s event, pressure in this area rose from 55 pounds per square inch (PSI) to 62.5 and has been fluctuating around 60.5 since, “showing that the underground system remains active and significantly pressurised.”

“This occurs as there are fewer fractures near Monitoring Well #6, which limits pressure release, allowing pressure to build more in this confined area. As of 4 pm on December 29, 2025, pressure is continuing to rise and remains a cause for concern,” the report noted.

The sensor near the main vent (Monitoring Well #3) also captured data during last week’s event, showing a pressure increase from about 21 PSI to 22 PSI. After the event, the pressure dropped to about 19 PSI and has since been fluctuating within a one PSI range of this.

“This up-and-down pattern shows that the underground system is still active and ‘breathing,’ releasing pressure through cracks around the main crater, and then rebuilding it, which means that the system has not fully settled and remains a cause for concern.”

Around 8.30 am on December 24, the main vent began spewing gas and mud chunks, resulting in significant earth movement to the west of it. At least two homes were partially destroyed (though still occupied), the electricity and water supply were disrupted, and three roads partially collapsed, with one being closed off to the public after suffering a major landslip.

In light of the most recent findings, the UWI research team maintained its advice to the community: to stay alert, not approach the main crater or highly fractured areas, to report any new cracks, gas emissions or ground movement and to follow guidance from all local authorities and emergency services.

Local government authorities and other agencies have been providing relief to the community since Christmas Eve, reconnecting electricity, providing truck-borne water until the mains could be repaired, and conducting rehabilitation works on the compromised roads.

One resident, Kim Seebaran, 65, who lives in the path of the underground mud and pressure movement, told Newsday on December 29, she was moving out of the house she lived in for the last 32 years to go rent in Chaguanas as she was uncertain about the volcano’s future activity.

Fedell Solomon, whose adjoining laundry room at his corner of Panchoo Trace and Piparo Road home partially collapsed during last week’s event, sent his daughters, aged nine, five and three, to stay with his mother-in-law, fearing for their safety should they need to evacuate.

Newsday understands a stakeholder meeting has been planned for later this week to assess and re-evaluate emergency response in the community in light of the recent UWI report.

Given the findings, the UWI researchers have also called for urgent funding so it can improve its ability to monitor, predict, and mitigate eruption risks, “paving the way for a robust early warning system.”

“The data will then be fed into risk assessment and delineation of hazard zonation maps for at-risk communities around TT.”

Piparo residents flee amid volcano rumblings

ACTIVITY at the Piparo Mud Volcano appears to have simmered down since last week’s event, but a small number of residents have chosen to leave the area after a geological assessment determined the feature was “very active” and posed a high risk to the surrounding community.

Living alone in a wooden structure along Panchoo Trace, Kim Seebaran, 65, said she has barely slept or eaten since last week’s event, as she recalled the terror of hearing her roof buckle and the nearby utility pole leaning with the accompanying earth movement. Having read a University of the West Indies (UWI) geological report, which stated that the data shows the mud and pressure moving in a northwesterly direction toward her home, she said she is now ready to give up 32 years of history on the land to rent in Chaguanas.

“It coming this way…maybe, we don’t know next time what would happen.”

She said she will move into her new apartment by the weekend. Having grown up in the Piparo area, Seebaran said she never thought of leaving the community until last week’s incident.

Fedell Solomon, whose house at the corner of Panchoo Trace and Piparo Road was among the hardest hit last week, said his mother-in-law was on her way to pick up his three daughters, ages nine, five and three.

He said, given last week’s event and the UWI report, he figures it would be easier to evacuate six occupants from his home instead of nine, should the volcano erupt. He said it was not an easy decision to make, as this would be the first time his daughters were away from him.

Sybil Badall who lives at Robinson Hill, Piparo, struggles to close her gates on December 29. Parts of the community, including homes and roads were affected by the land movement caused by the rumbling mud volcano in the area on December 24.

“You feel tied. Your hands are behind your back, but you’re in a position where life is important.”

“(If) they are here, you are risking their lives.”

The adjoining laundry room to the back of his house shifted a few feet from the main structure, and its roof and wall collapsed during the December 24 activity. His water mains were broken, and the cesspit opened.

He described the UWI report as “frightening” as he now worries an eruption can happen at any moment.

The recent increase in volcanic activity caused a major landslip along the Piparo Road in an area known as Robinson Hill. Apart from rendering the road impassable, the slipping land has begun to claim part of Sybil Badall’s house, which now looks as though it rests upon a sheet that’s being pulled off a bed. The shed to the side of her house has collapsed, and the house itself has begun to lean, coming apart from the foundation.

Sybil Badall’s home at Robinson Hill, Piparo, was damaged by land movement caused by the rumbling mud volcano on December 24.

Her son, Vickram Moonesar, said authorities advised they leave the house and visit nearby shelters. With his eldest son preparing to sit the Secondary Entrance Assessment exam in a few months, he said he was hoping they could be relocated.

Although the road was closed off by police, vehicles were seen attempting to cross the collapsed section. Occupants of a silver Toyota Fielder wagon exited the vehicle to cross on foot so the driver could navigate what was left of the road without the underside scraping.

Shantelle Sookoo and her father said around four families left the area when the volcano began showing increased activity, but have since returned. Admitting she was terrified, she said her family has packed emergency bags and supplies into their car in the event they need to evacuate.

While residents complained about a slow response time of emergency appliances, they commended the authorities for its immediate action in rendering assistance, such as reconnecting electricity and water supplies and beginning work on collapsed sections of road.

‘Long-term solution needed’

Solomon believes a long-term solution was required. He said the UWI team’s findings now leave the government with three choices to deal with their plight. He said they can do nothing, move residents out, or provide the necessary funding to the UWI research team so it can effectively monitor the volcano and alert the community when an eruption is imminent.

Newsday has been unable to reach Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen or Princes Town MP Dr Aiyna Ali for comment on the community’s future in light of the UWI report since it was released on December 28.

Newsday was reliably informed that the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management will convene a meeting with emergency responders in the near future to discuss the UWI report and its implications for the existing response plan.

Disregarding the caution sign near the location, occupants of this vehicle had to exit in order for the car to cross the depression at Robinson Hill, Piparo on December 29.

The UWI report, compiled by a team led by Professor of Geomechanics and Geophysics Prof Oshaine Blake and PhD Geoscience candidate Kerneese Ramjarrie, analysed data gathered from instruments stationed around the site. It found that the geological feature is very active and that the risk of further eruptions and surface deformation at the main vent and surrounding areas is high. It also found that the mud was moving toward the northwest of the main vent, and pressure was rapidly building.

The UWI team called for urgent funding so it could enhance its ability to monitor, predict, and mitigate eruption risks, “paving the way for a robust early warning system.”

‘Hurtful online comments’

Solomon has also taken umbrage at comments on social media about why the families built their homes near the volcano or why they don’t move elsewhere. He said his home was built long before the volcano developed, and it is not an easy feat to uproot their entire lives and look for somewhere that can accommodate the nine members of his household.

“It’s really disheartening to see where we are as a country, seeing comments being made like that.”

Many of the families Newsday spoke with during the course of this developing story have lived in the area for several generations, with at least one on the northeastern side tracing its roots back five generations.

The volcano is the most active of 32 in the country, and violently erupted in February 2017, covering surrounding areas in thick mud, damaging homes and forcing the evacuation of 300 people. It has since had two notable periods of heightened activity: October 2019 and on Christmas Eve. The recent event was described as the worst since the 1997 eruption.

 

UWI team: Piparo mud volcano 'very active,' high risk for eruption

A University of the West Indies research team’s assessment of the Piparo Mud Volcano has not only found that the geological feature is very active, but that the risk of further eruptions and surface deformation at the main vent and surrounding areas is high. The findings have left the team calling for urgent funding to enhance its ability to monitor the volcano.

The team was led by Professor of Geomechanics and Geophysics Prof Oshaine Blake and PhD Geoscience candidate Kerneese Ramjarrie, and also comprised Dr Lorraine Sobers, Dr Kailas Banerjee, Dr Dexter Davis, and Dr Ryan Ramsook.

They visited the site on December 24 after gases and large chunks of mud began spewing out of the volcano’s vent, causing earth movement that damaged nearby houses, disrupted water and electricity supply to some residents and collapsed sections of some surrounding roads. They also revisited the site on December 27 to conduct further assessments and issued a report to residents on December 28.

Noting the 1997 eruption, which damaged homes and displaced residents, the report said Piparo was one of the most active of the 32 mud volcanoes in TT, and recent data collected showed it was still active, posing a high risk to the surrounding community.

Resident Fedell Solomon walks pass the affected area of his home after the Piparo Mud Volcano erupted on December 24.

After reviewing the data, the team concluded that the Christmas Eve event was mainly related to gas release and pressure buildup underground, likely triggered by anthropogenic events (environmental change due to human activity) or tectonic compression.

“In the period leading up to this event, there were no reported significant seismic activity, which is typically associated with fault movement, nor extended periods of rainfall that could hydrologically load the pressurised mud fluid zones.”

The data collected last week showed the large, pressurised systems of mud and gas trapped under high pressure beneath the volcano were actively moving toward the northwest, away from the main crater. As it moves, the report said, it pushes the ground apart, causing uplift, sinking, and the formation of cracks at the surface. It said the damage can occur far from the main crater, even in areas where no mud is erupting at the surface.

“This explains why roads, houses, and utilities were damaged in western and southwestern areas during the December 24, 2025, event, despite the absence of visible vents. This strongly indicates that there is a large, active, pressurised subsurface system in this area which extends beyond the current monitored area. This means danger can exist even where the ground looks quiet.”

The report said pressure was increasing sharply in the Northwestern areas, as the absence of ground movement prevents it from venting.

As a result, the report warned residents to stay alert, not approach the main crater or highly fractured areas, to report any new cracks, gas emissions or ground movement and to follow guidance from all local authorities and emergency services.

Based on these observations, the team recommended extending the area of interest to 400 acres to map out the full extent of the pressurised system. The team also called for urgent funding so it could enhance its ability to monitor, predict, and mitigate eruption risks, “paving the way for a robust early warning system.”

“The data will then be fed into risk assessment and delineation of hazard zonation maps for at-risk communities,” the report said.

Newsday was unable to reach Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen for comment.

 

[UPDATED] Nightmare before Christmas as Piparo mud volcano awakens

CHRISTMAS celebrations are in limbo for some Piparo residents as the mud volcano’s activity ramped up on December 24, leaving them fearful that an eruption may be imminent.

Fedell Solomon, who lives closest to the volcano, said residents began hearing loud booms every few seconds from around 9 am. He was in Debe at the time and received a call from his mother saying the house was cracking. Returning home, he said he was shocked to discover that the laundry room behind the home had drifted several feet from the main structure to which it was once attached. Its rear wall and roof had collapsed, and the sloping ground was now about a foot lower than when he left home.

“I came home and noticed everything from back a couple of years ago now far worse than what had happened last time. The whole back is now not accessible no more. The cesspit has opened, the land has opened, everything has just cracked and mash up.”

The mud volcano last erupted in 1997, spewing mud up to 200 feet in the air and covering roads and homes. It has been relatively dormant since, showing occasional activity. Its last major burst of activity was in 2019, which cracked Solomon’s house.

The deep, intermittent booms of exploding gases were heard every few seconds. The three surrounding roads all bore signs of earth movement, with two having collapsed sections that rendered them impassable.

The only accessible route was through Panchoo Trace, which had widened in the hour Newsday was at the scene.

At least five homes were left without power as the moving earth caused a nearby utility pole to lean, bursting one of the lines into the area. TT Electricity Commission crews were on site trying to restore a supply. While there, the earth suddenly moved, tilting the pole even further, and the wires cracked through the air like whips.

Although the volcano was seen spewing chunks of mud about two feet into the air and the explosion ripping seismic instruments out of the ground, one resident, who did not want to be identified, told Newsday the activity was not an eruption but he feared one was on the horizon.

“This is the warning signs,” he said.

Solomon said he witnessed the volcano spewing mud up to 15 feet high and was taking precautions to protect his family.

“Our bags are packed and ready to leave with short notice, but the end question is leave here and go where? It’s not me alone, I can pack my bag and go somewhere. It’s a big family that we have here but we are already to move in the event that we need to but for the most part now we just looking on and hoping for the best for the Christmas.”

He lives in the house with his wife, three children and his parents.

Though ready to evacuate if needed, he was concerned about the road degradation and whether they would be able to leave the area if things escalated further.

“The road has risen about four feet, so our emergency exit…now no longer exists.”

To the east of the volcano, residents appeared to be unaffected and unbothered by the activity. Some continued cleaning for Christmas, while others were seen washing their vehicles.

Ameen: Stay away from the mud volcano

Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen has warned people not to venture into the area.

“I’m urging motorists to access wherever they’re going, try to avoid those roads being affected. I know people are very curious and they would want to go to the site to visit. We advise that you don’t do that because additional traffic could mean issues if we have a worsening situation. I am urging visitors to stay away from the area,” she said.

Ameen said the ministry has been monitoring the situation, and traffic restrictions have been implemented.

“Traffic will be restricted from Piparo Road and diverted through Hoseinee Trace. You also have Thomas Ross Road from the Princes Town side, as well as through Piparo Road from Tabaquite. Our municipal police officers are on the ground together with the police service to ensure that motorists stay away from the roads that are being affected with the cracks and so on, and it would make access in terms of if there is need for evacuation easier for the residents.”

Teams from the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC), the Princes Town Regional Corporation (PTRC), the Police Service, the Municipal Police Service, the Fire Service and the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure were also at the scene on December 24.

“At this time, no evacuations have been ordered. The emergency shelters have not been evacuated. From my discussions with our representatives on the ground, the residents do have relatives they prefer to go by if they need to evacuate, but if need be, we do have the Piparo Community Centre that will be activated as a shelter in case residents need it.”

Ameen said she remains in close contact with the local authorities and the emergency responders.

Princes Town MP Dr Aiyna Ali said about four houses were left stranded by a collapsed section of the Piparo road but measures were put in place to assist them.

“We ensured that the electricity and water was reconnected and we will get the road smoothed a bit, as much as we can, after we get the reports from the engineers, so at least they have one way out. We also informed them that if the volcanic activity increases, they would have to evacuate.”

Seismic assessment ongoing

A seismic team from UWI visited the site and gathered data on from instruments stationed around the volcano.

PhD candidate Kerneese Ramjarrie told Newsday that data was collected from the pressure and temperature gauges, but it still needed to be processed and interpreted back at the university. She was unable to say whether what happened that morning was an eruption or venting until the data was processed. She was optimistic that residents and authorities could receive some answers before Christmas. UWI professor of geomechanics Oshaine Blake led the seismic team.

In 2019, geoscientist Xavier Moonan warned that the conditions at the volcano mirrored those during the 1997 eruption and warned that it was only a matter of time.

This story was originally published with the title “Piparo mud volcano erupts” and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

THE Piparo mud volcano has erupted.

According to reports, the eruption took place on December 24.

Newsday understands that the Disaster Management Unit of the Couva/Tabaquite Regional Corporation is on its way to assess the situation.

This is developing story. Follow Newsday for further updates.

ODPM: Piparo mud volcano quiet over weekend

ACTIVITY at the Piparo mud volcano has slowed down for now, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) has said after monitoring the site over the weekend.

The ODPM issued a statement on Sunday noting a marked reduction in the noise and the release of mud and gas from the volcano.

“No noticeable new fissures have appeared on the volcano’s dome, neither has any large-scale widening occurred. The ODPM also met with some of the residents in the community, who confirmed these observations,” the statement read.

Access to the area is restricted while the volcano remains active.

It said other agencies, including the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation’s Disaster Management Unit, the Princes Town Regional Corporation, and the Environmental Management Authority, as well as petroleum geologist Xavier Moonan of Touchstone Exploration, are also monitoring activity at the site.

“Because of the ongoing threat posed by the sub-surface activity as well as the sudden explosion of mud and gas, the site remains cordoned off and security patrols are being conducted by municipal police and the TT Police Service.

The public is therefore advised once again to avoid venturing in close proximity to the volcano.”

Mayaro chairman: All mud craters being investigated

MAYARO/Rio Claro Regional Corporation chairman Raymond Cozier said the corporation is taking proactive steps to prevent the potential repeat of the February 22, 1997 Piparo mud volcano eruption happening in Cascadoux Trace, Mayaro.

“It seems like that Cascadoux area is like sitting on an unofficial time bomb.”

He made this comment on Saturday after visiting the site of a new mud volcano in Cascadoux Trace.

An eruption happened there on January 11, forcing residents from two households to evacuate.

Cozier told Newsday, “There is no active movement in the crater today. Yesterday, it was erupting every 15-20 minutes.”

He said it is difficult to predict when there could be another eruption.

Cozier compared this eruption with the 1997 eruption in Piparo.

“For umpteen years it was just there and nothing happened, and then one day the village was lost.”

In 1997, the village of Piparo was declared a disaster area and 300 residents were evacuated when the mud volcano erupted, throwing mud 200 feet into the air. Some livestock were killed, 30 homes were destroyed and water and electricity supplies to the village were knocked out.

Cozier said teams from the corporation’s disaster management unit (DMU) were out in the field on Saturday, going house to house and talking to villagers about mud craters in the area.

“We are engaging on a plan right now to do an investigation of all the areas to identify all known (mud) craters.”

Cozier said once all this information is compiled, there will be a meeting with the villagers to discuss a more in-depth plan to deal with any future mud volcano eruptions.

He said a sign in the area which is used to alert people to the threat of a tsunami will be updated to do the same for mud volcano eruptions.

Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation chairman Raymond Cozier – File photo

An assessment of the new mud volcano in Cascadoux Trace began on Saturday, led by geologist Xavier Moonan, who is also the exploration manager at Touchstone Exploration.

He has previously done work on mud volcanoes, even discovering six along the country’s southwestern coast in 2020.

Cozier said a member of the UWI Seismic Research Unit is also involved in the assessment.

Apart from assessing the site of the new mud volcano, Cozier said a villager took them to see other mud craters in the area.

Samples have been taken from the new volcano, along with mud from the original volcano established there years ago. Cozier said the tests on these samples will determine whether there is any connection between the two volcanoes.

He said the situation remains scary for the families who were evacuated from the site last week. It is unclear at this stage whether they will be able to return to their homes or may need to relocate.

He said more in-depth tests will be done on the mud volcano.

Mysteries that lie beneath the rubble: analysis of Piparo mud volcano

AARON MUNGAL

In the Southern Basin in Trinidad, there are many mud volcanoes that litter the landscape.

“Mud volcano” is a misnomer, as it is not a conventional volcano that spews molten lava.

These are natural onshore and offshore surface expulsions of semi-liquid mud and gas.

One such example of a mud volcano is the Piparo mud volcano.

To many, the Piparo mud volcano is a exciting tourist attraction, to others a spiritual site and to a remaining few, a part of what they called home.

A major eruption on February 22, 1997 transformed a small muddy pool into the large main vent we see today (Figure 1) and resulted in damage to homes, leaving many homeless.

From that day forward, continuous activity at the site has led to many studies and frequent surveillance being carried out by UWI and other organisations.

Figure 4: The migration of mudflow
(Figure courtesy GSTT) –

ERT (electrical resistivity tomography) and DEM (digital elevation models), for example, are methods that were used to uncover the origin of the fluid, processes and activity of the mud volcano. The information received from this surveillance can be used to predict future eruptions and help warn nearby residents.

The mud volcano lies along the Naparima Hill thrust fault, along which mud is transported from great depth to the surface. This fault was formed by transpression that occurred between the Caribbean and South American plate around the mid-Miocene (around 12 million years ago).

This opened up a gateway for materials that were even older than this compressional event to be transported to the surface and seen at the site of the volcano today (Figure 2).

Although many are able to see the expulsion of mud at the surface, the subsurface expression of the volcano remains hidden.

ERT surveys can map out an image of the subsurface by measuring its resistivity or its ability to resist an electric current.

Different objects will carry different resistivities, allowing us to create a colour-coded image with the data that is collected. From this image we can identify any resistive objects.

DEM surveys on the other hand, work by using drone captured aerial images to create colour-coded elevation maps. These maps can be used to identify any topographical or surface changes over time.

Figure 5: Diagram showing changes in elevation over time
(Figure courtesy GSTT) –

For this study, datasets from the years 2018-2023 were used to track changes in the subsurface shape and topographic elevation through time.

The datasets have given insights into the nature of the mud volcano. It ejects mobile mud (clays and shales mixed with fresh water) (Figure 3) which eventually hardens when dried, creating a mound with the resistive values of the subsurface being indicative of this. The subsurface chamber of the mud volcano had an approximate volume of 176,493 cubic metres in January of 2023. For reference, that volume is equal to approximately 1.1 million oil barrels!

This volume was limited by the resolution of the resistivity survey (36m depth) and there could indeed be much more beneath the surface.

This body of mud was also seen to be migrating or moving in a general easterly direction between 2018 to 2023 (Figure 4), triggered by the occurrence of earthquakes during that time.

Another observation to note was the collapse of the area around the main crater between 2018 and 2019. Looking further, we saw that the entire area decreased in elevation between 2019 and 2023 (Figure 5).

How can these observations impact the residents near the Piparo mud volcano?

If this body of mud continues to migrate in an easterly direction soon it will interact with infrastructure in that direction.

Figure 2: Formation of a mud volcano
(Figure courtesy GSTT) –

In addition, as the mud continues to migrate away from the volcano’s main vent seen at surface, current interpretations suspect it will initiate the formation of a new main vent owing to the build-up of subsurface pressure as the current seepage pathway becomes too deviated to function.

To put it simply, the further the body of mud moves from the main vent, the higher the possibility of another eruption.

The impact of this needs further assessment to draw any conclusions and for now is only a possible outcome.

Further tests and surveys will provide us with vital information on the activity of the volcano, allowing us to better understand and prepare before its advancement.

However, we should always remember that many mysteries lie beneath the rubble and the more we uncover and share, the more we begin to appreciate this natural wonder.

Aaron Mungal is a petroleum geoscience graduate from UWI who did his final year project on the Piparo mud volcano. This article was submitted by the Geological Society of TT.

The Piparo mud volcano, 24 years after last major eruption

FEBRUARY 23, 1997. That date may not ring any bells for the average person, but for residents of Piparo, the very mention of it brings back bad memories and trauma even 24 years later.

On that day, the Piparo mud volcano erupted, damaging several homes and vehicles and killing many animals. And while there were no human casualties, many still call the volcano a ticking time bomb, as there have been scares in more recent years.

Residents told Newsday while they have somewhat adapted to living near the site, there remains a certain level of fear. They also said that since the scare in 2019, when the volcano rumbled and caused further damages to houses, they have received no assistance.


Ex-police officer Gunnessram Harrilal, 63, has been living in Piparo since the 70s. But coincidentally, at the time of the eruption, he was temporarily living in Caroni, since he was assigned to the Central Division of the police service. But his parents were there.

“They said about a week before, they started hearing some rumbling and then the place started shaking. Then they said it had a lot of rain. And the moment that happened…it just exploded.”

Ex-police officer Gunnessram Harrilal speaks to Newsday about his experience living near the Piparo mud volcano.

He said he was building his own home behind his parents’, but it was completely covered by mud and only the foundation remained.

“All my raw material, like steel and gravel and rock and thing – all (of) that was covered.”

Asked how he feels about living there now, given the unpredictability of the volcano’s activity, he said, “I really don’t have no fear, you know. But the problem here is the wall that keeps cracking…We tried to plaster it but…

“Nobody ever came to help us. Never…Even when mattresses came, they were sent way up the road, but we never get anything. People came to visit and they say nothing wrong with the house.”

Harrilal’s home has several cracks in the walls and floor. And with random rumbling happening, he said it may be a waste of money to continually try fixing them on his own, as the house would just be damaged again.

Parvattie Suratt is not worried about living near the volcano.

Parvattie Suratt, 76, told Newsday she and her husband only moved there two years ago. Despite the threat, she said she is not worried. She said her time there has been okay thus far and they have not been affected in any way.

When Newsday visited the site of the volcano, there were remnants of flowers. Residents said this was from a prayer service on Monday night, which is done annually near or on the anniversary of the eruption.

But there was also some garbage, including beer bottles wrapped in napkins, and plastic bottles, among other things.

Occasional gas bubbles were also seen in the mud.

Piparo resident Fedell Solomon lives along the old road, a few metres from the mud volcano which erupted on February 23, 1997.

Newsday also spoke to a member of a family of seven who had been more severely affected.

In fact, his four-year-old daughter asks, “Volcano?” any time she hears a random noise at night.

Fedell Solomon said he has got so used to the spontaneous rumbling that it doesn’t scare him any more.

He too said no one has assisted the family since with repairs, material or anything at all.

“We have some support from the ODPM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management), because they regularly visit us. They come to see if the damage is progressing, how things are progressing…But support and assistance are two different things. And when it comes to government officials, no help.”

He added, “Government officials had visited once, but then they will try to bad-talk the Opposition. Then Opposition would visit and bad-talk the Government. Nobody wants to work together to assist us.

“There’s the cesspit line that we’ve run above ground now, because it keeps bursting. Even the WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority) line. Every week, WASA has to come and fix this because of movement (caused by the rumbling).”

Like Harrilal’s, Solomon’s home has several major cracks on high and low walls and on the floor and even drains. One crack is so deep, he said “it’s like a downstairs area.”

The damage done to Fedell Solomon’s house during recent activity at the Piparo mud volcano is evident.

He said a lot of people in the community live in fear but have not been offered anywhere to relocate to.

“This house was built about 33 years now. There was no volcano when this house was built. And when that eruption happened in 1997, we weren’t offered a place to go.”

He said the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) contacted him and said he could rent a home for $3,000 a month but it would not be a rent-to-own arrangement. He said that didn’t make sense.

“So I’m leaving this house here, debt-free, to go to pay this lump sum now and I won’t get anything after. When you get offered something like that, the mere reality is that you stay where you are.”

He said the volcano site has become a liming spot and that at “all hours of the night,” residents usually have to call the police when they see strange vehicles there for too long.

A cracked wall at Fedell Solomon’s house.

There are many warning signs at both possible entrances to the site, but residents said many people ignore those and end up driving up to the volcano and getting stuck, or walking and then having to ask residents for water to wash off their feet.

“ODPM and UWI (Seismic Research Centre) visit regularly and they come and check us as well if they have time,” he said.

He said residents are not asking for handouts, but some form of assistance would be appreciated.