Trinidad: Piparo mud volcano erupts on Christmas eve, damaging homes and roads 

Trinidad and Tobago: Residents of Piparo experienced a frightening start to the Christmas holiday after a mud volcano erupted in the community on Christmas Eve which caused damage to several homes and properties.

Authorities have confirmed that while surrounding areas remain under restriction there have been no orders for an immediate evacuation. However, residents have expressed their concerns for their safety while noting that conditions in the area remain uncertain following the eruption.

While sharing the development, residents said that early Christmas morning, they were startled by loud noise caused by the rumbling that accompanies the eruption of the mud volcano.

One of the residents Fidel Solomon said that around 9 am this morning, he was not home, and he received a call from his mom saying that there was a lot of activities happening at home including cracks opening up and noise being heard from the volcano. He added that the effects were immediate.

“On arriving back, we noticed that the damages that we saw happening in the back here on my way, coming home, the roads were literally racing off. We couldn't, right now, it is impossible, but you are actually driving and seeing the roads lifting off,” he added.

At the site, the cameras captured police officers of the Office of Disaster Management and Preparedness and other stakeholders already beginning their initial assessment of the extent of the eruption works and Infrastructure Minister Julian John, at a function in Moruga, said that she was awaiting the official report, but that already there were concerns about accessibility for residents and if they needed to be evacuated.

“That is in place and some western road has been cut off so they have some immobility right now so the thing is becoming a little bit serious. Well, quite serious, but I don't want to comment too much until I've seen an official report to know how the Ministry of Works could restore, well, access,” added the Minister.

She noted that while evacuation request was made but the residents said that they did not want to be moved.

Moreover, one of the Geoscience PhD students who has worked on the papyrus volcano for years said that the eruption was expected but it did come a little later than their reading suggested. She also warned that in the dry season, when the ground is stiffer, residents can expect more activity in the area.

However, she said measurements need to be taken to determine if Wednesday's eruption was as a result of land movement or geothermal pressure escaping but for Solomon, who calls this place home, the damage is impossible to ignore.