Dangers of volcanic eruption on Cape Verde island amid seismic activity
The Cape Verde Minister of Internal Administration has warned of the possibility of a volcanic eruption on the West African nation’s Brava Island.
The Minister told journalists on November 23 that although the likelihood of a volcanic eruption is minimal, the alert level is 3, on a scale of 1 to 5, adding that there is a four months evacuation contingency plan.
“There is a contingency plan for Brava Island, and there is also an evacuation plan, this plan was drawn up in 2016, following the recorded seismic crisis, but it is updated and provides for a set of actions for situations of this kind, actions that are being broken right now, and which we have been observing,” he is quoted by local media Expresso das Ilhas.
“We have been discussing the measures for the next few days which will involve convening the National Civil Protection Council. We are cautious, but there is no reason to be overly concerned, it is just prevention. We are also activating the entire National Civil Protection System which presupposes, under the terms of the Basic Civil Protection Law, that a Civil Protection contingency situation is declared,” he added.
Authorities have been monitoring the seismic activity around the island after tremors were recorded between November 19 and 20, local media Infor Press reported.
The West African nation has recorded cases of volcanic eruptions in the past. In 2014, a volcanic eruption near Fogo Island destroyed houses, roads, and farmlands, among others.
