Volcanic fumes continue to hiss from the expansive fissures of the Piparo volcano.
And while residents keep vigilant in the event of an eruption, the Couva Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation has erected signs warning pedestrians to stay off the site.
The signs were placed on the two entrants of the volcanic site and they read, “Volcanic Fumes, Other Hazards May Exist Beyond Here. Do Not Enter.”
During an interview with Guardian Media, resident Fidel Solomon said his home continues to crack.
“The cracks are widening. The ones on the walls have splintered about ten to 15 inches wider. I am staying in the house at Piparo but the rest of my family has split up. My daughter has not been home since the Saturday the volcano started to act up,” Solomon said.
He added that the Housing Development Corporation has promised housing which never materialized.
“They have us in limbo for more than two weeks now. Two weeks ago they called and said they identified a house at Union Hall. They said they will call us back to finalise the arrangements. One week passed and nothing happened. When we called the second week, they said a house was sourced in Golconda. We are still waiting,” he added.
Solomon said he was getting very frustrated.
“I want my family together and I hope they will make good on their promise to assist,” Solomon added.
Meanwhile, senior geoscientist at Touchstone Exploration Xavier Moonan said they were monitoring the volcano. He said gas continues to rise from the main vent with a constant hissing sound.
“There are small bubbling pools on the northern and the gas is still escaping along the fractures heading westward and southward. A very small vent has appeared approximately 30ft south of the main vent and bubbles constantly. “
He also said that there is a widening of fractures, adding that the southern area has gone downward by almost a foot overall while the northern fractured area has also gone downward by eight to ten centimetres.
Residents from Piparo have received training to assist others when the volcano finally blows.
An Emergency Evacuation map has been shared out to residents and the plan remains that those who live to the west of the volcano will exit the disaster zone using Piparo Road, towards Guaracara Junction and then to the Riversdale Presbyterian Primary School. Those to the east of the volcano will proceed out of Piparo Road to Stone Road and then to Piparo Community Centre.