Just after 10 pm on Saturday 21st September 2019, the residents of Piparo Village reported hearing a loud explosion and cracks developed along Pancho trace, a road in close proximity to the mud volcano. Damages were caused to some homes and there was a smell of sulphur in the air. Some residents chose to self-evacuate for fear of a repeat of the last major eruption that occured some 22 years ago on 22 February, 1997.
Damage to a road near the volcano
The Piparo mud volcano is located at 20P 681164.40 m E, 1143356.89 m N in Piparo Village. This small community of 1249 residents lies just south of the Central Range and due to its location is administered in one part by the Princes Town Regional Corporation and the other part by the Couva, Talparo, Tabaquite Regional Corporation.
On 22nd February, 1997 after a series of tremors and rumbling that gave precious little warning of the devastating eruption to come, the residents were able to flee at the last minute before magmatic mud flooded their homes from floor to ceiling.
Mud was spewed about 200 feet into the air causing widespread damage to property. 31 families were displaced by the eruption. 15 cars, 4 pick-up vans, some 15 cattle, 13 goats and scores of poultry and pets were buried.
The early morning eruption sent residents screaming and scampering in panic from the tumbling grey mud which pulled down electricity poles, telephone wires, ripped apart pipe lines and knocked down huge trees. A nearby temple, Aum Kar Hindu Temple, and convicted murderer Dole Chadee’s temple were cracked in several places.
Tombstones in the Piparo Cemetery tilted and fissures erupted along the road for more than a mile. The eruption rocked areas for miles around. Damage was estimated at millions of TT Dollars. More than 300 people within a one-mile radius of the volcano had to be evacuated. Thankfully, no one was killed.
Since that initial eruption, there was subsequent activity on the 2nd March, 1997 and December 2011. After the occurrence on 21st September 2019, the ODPM in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the Ministry of National Security, the Environmental Management Agency, the Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago, the Piparo Village Council and Mr Xavier Moonan of Touchstone Exploration developed an evacuation plan for the residents of Piparo Village.
Mr Moonan advised that the mud volcano is a natural phenomenon and much of the activity is hidden under the surface. Furthermore, he emphasised that the village lies on the top of the volcano and therefore it should be continuously monitored.
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