00:00On the eve of Christmas, residents who boarded the Piparo Mud Volcano site started once again
00:08to hear the rumbles and feel the tremors of their neighbor.
00:13ODPM officials say while it's not classified as an eruption, it is in a state of heightened
00:19activity and is considered dangerous due to the potential risk this volcanic site carries.
00:26Residents tell us signs began early this morning. It was both audible and visible all around them.
00:34There was a lot of openings happening. The back extension of the house, as you can see, has been separated.
00:44The walls have collapsed, the cesspit is open and the road is impassable.
00:52As opposed to the last set of activity, it's like double that strength and amount of activity we have been seeing.
01:00Because as we speak now, you'd see a crack, you'd make a walk and come back and then you'd see a double in size.
01:07So it's moving that fast.
01:10Residents we spoke with say they were all advised to evacuate, but it's not something they're prepared to do just yet.
01:17The regional corporation passed and informed us to leave and go by friends and family.
01:24All right, they want me to leave. Tomorrow is Christmas.
01:27But if I leave here and leave all my things, when I come back here, what's going to happen?
01:32Everything disappears.
01:34Because I can't trust nobody.
01:36For the most part, we are together.
01:37Our bags are packed in the event that we have to indeed leave in short notice.
01:43But we are staying together as much as we can.
01:45Earlier in the day, we met Minister of Works and Infrastructure, Jolene John, at a TTPS event in St. Mary's Village, Moruga, where she gave this update.
01:55There is an evacuation plan from the last time.
01:58Well, that is in place, plus some western road has been cut off.
02:02So they have some immobility right now.
02:04So the thing is becoming a little bit serious, quite serious.
02:07But I don't want to comment too much until I've seen an official report to know how the Ministry of Works can restore well access.
02:14The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Khadija Amin, issued a statement this afternoon, saying the Paparo Road has been closed while remedial work is being done to restore temporary emergency access to the other route, which was also damaged.
02:30She says the safety and well-being of residents remain their highest priority.
02:35No evacuations have been ordered, she says.
02:38No emergency shelters activated as they continue to closely monitor the situation.
02:45Assistant Commissioner of Police for Central South Michael Peir urged people to stay away from the volcano zone.
02:52We just wish that the members of the public will not use the area to sightsee and to not use the western area for passing because it has been blocked at this point in time.
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