Living near a volcano can be challenging and should definitely make you extra cautious about the environment and what the authorities tell you, even if that volcano has been inactive for decades or even centuries. You may never know when a dormant volcano can reignite itself and throw nature’s wrath onto the surroundings once again.
Countries such as Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Italy, Russia, Iceland, and the USA are among those that have the most active volcanoes on their surface.
If you live near a volcano, whether it’s active or inactive, you should definitely NOT do these things:
Ignore warning signs:
Nature has its own ways of warning us when something terrible is about to happen. Volcanoes often show their own warning signs, such as gas emissions, increased seismic activity, or changes in their landscape. Ignoring such signs would obviously be a terrible idea, as that would put you and your community at risk. Therefore, you should always stay informed about the volcanic activity in your area and always pay attention to any warnings issued by the local authorities.
Ignore evacuation orders:
If a volcano erupts, the local authorities will issue evacuation orders to ensure the safety of residents. It can be extremely dangerous to disregard such orders or delay evacuation, regardless of how much you may love your home. You must always follow evacuation instructions by the book and evacuate to designated safe zones as directed.
Go to restricted areas:
While volcanoes have fascinating power that can produce a range of hazards, such as lava flows, ashfall, earthquakes, and volcanic gases, it could be very tempting to approach them too much to take photos or record videos. But that could be a terrible move if you care about your safety and health. There will be restricted or hazardous areas established by the authorities in case a volcano erupts or is about to erupt, and you should definitely not go into those areas.
Neglect emergency preparedness:
It’s always a “must” to prepare for an impending danger before it actually happens, and the same simple principle is available when we’re talking about volcanoes as well. You should never neglect the importance of developing an emergency plan, establishing communication protocols with family and friends, or stockpiling essential supplies. You should definitely take proactive steps to prepare for emergencies and make sure that you have the right resources and information to respond in an effective way.
Wait until the last minute to evacuate
It’s never too soon to evacuate in case a volcano erupts or is about to erupt. Therefore, don’t delay any evacuation orders simply because you hope that the situation will improve or that the eruption won’t affect your area. Volcanic eruptions have the potential to escalate rapidly, leaving little time for drastic measures such as evacuation. Waiting until the last minute to evacuate can affect others as well, not just you. It can result in limited evacuation routes and traffic congestion.
You can feel free to also read one of our previous articles about a volcano from Iceland erupting back in December 2023.
