The eruption of Fogo volcano : an human drama !

Fogo 11/27/2014 - impressive lava flow threatening homes - photo Grenn Studio

"Fogo News" reports that a third way of supply and exhaust of Portela / Boca Fonte, with exit by Cova Tina (by the southwest of Cha das Caldeiras - see map projection Google / INET below) is ready. It will allow the evacuation of residents and their meager belongings through dozens of trucks mobilized for this purpose.

Many houses and bungalows, source of tourism revenue, were destroyed by the lava flows, as well as dozens of hectares of land devastated. The reserves of wines, at least for all the bottles from the cellar Vino Cha, must be transferred in a safe place; large barrels of 8,000 liters unfortunately can not be transported, which mortgage this resource at term.
 

Fogo - map of the lava flows 25.11.2014 / 16h - Doc. INET

Fogo - Works to allow the evacuation - photo Green Studio / Fogo News

Fogo - Bungalow destroyed by lava flow - Green Photo Studio / Fogo News

The current eruption has a profound impact on the local population ... evacuations problems in case of eruption by the only road to the south, cleavable by an eruption, was pointed in a study published in September 2014. This is in addition to the social marginalization of the community, and the lack of public facilities: no electricity, no running water, no health care.

Cultural factors may explain the attachment of the people to this land ... the volcanic soil is fertile, the climatic conditions are better in the caldera than in the plains, and the volcano since 1995 has become a source of additional income with the development of geo-tourism.

Volcanic risk is not a priority for the community, more concerned with the daily difficulties, drought and lack of water, and various administrative restrictions.

Fogo - the road to the south cut off by the lava flow - photo Marcos Rocha via Fogo News

Sources :

- Fogo News - articles journaliers - link

- Muzika TV livestream - Erupção Vulcão do Fogo - link

-Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 2347–2358, 2014 - Reducing volcanic risk on Fogo Volcano, Cape Verde, through a participatory approach: which outcome? – by P. Texier-Teixeira, F. Chouraqui, A. Perrillat-Collomb, F. Lavigne, J. R. Cadag, and D. Grancher - link