Salvadorans woke up this past Monday alarmed by the increase in volcanic activity of Chaparrastique, a colossus that roars in the department of San Miguel, in the east of the country.
After the increase in activity on the mountain, the authorities decided the day before to put the municipalities of Chinameca, San Rafael Oriente and Chinameca on green alert, while alarms began to explode on social networks.
Likely to erupt
“That volcano is likely to erupt. And I mean that it will launch lava and that is dangerous for the people of San Miguel and the municipalities around the volcano. It`s throwing stones and black smoke is a sign of something worse. The volcano is warning and it is giving time”, wrote a user reflecting a feeling that seems to be expanding.
A large column of smoke and gases was captured this weekend at the Chaparrastique volcano, during one of the many explosions that led the National Directorate of Civil Protection to issue a green alert in its eruptive phase of intensity one, out of a total of eight phases.
The municipalities of Chinameca, San Rafael Oriente and San Jorge were declared on alert at that stage, said the director of Civil Protection, Luis Amaya, while requests for the evacuation of the residents who live near the colossus intensify on social networks due to the fear that something worse happens.
It is not for less when the reports indicate that explosions of greater intensity and height are generated through the central crater, expulsion of hot rocks in the surroundings of the crater, columns of gases, water vapor and visible ash, which in some cases exceed the 1,100 meters high, according to reports.
Amaya pointed out that they have already extended the security radius from three to six kilometers in the municipalities adjacent to the volcano. In 12 days, the “hot elevation” registered 181 emanations, 14 as a daily average, although no signs of magma have yet been observed, the molten rock trapped underground that, when it comes to the surface as a liquid, receives that name.
Calling for the evacuation of the locals
Meanwhile, Salvadorans on social networks are calling for the evacuation of the locals near the elevation to the 26 shelters that the authorities keep active with a capacity for 10,000 people.
The volcanic activity began on November 15th with expulsions of gases and ashes, which gradually increased. While users of the networks when looking at the mountain say: “God have mercy, because the (volcano) is warning, I hope people raise awareness and get out.”
