Why do you think the people of the town ignored the warnings?

Geologists have been warning of a volcanic eruption for quite some time, but they are completely ignored by the local townsfolk. Their warnings sound "like the tales of frightened old women." The locals continue on with their daily lives, blithely ignoring the earth's portentous rumblings beneath their feet.
It's difficult for many of us to understand why the people of the town choose to ignore the scientists' warnings. One possible explanation is that the town is simply their home; most people will have lived there all their lives and so won't be mentally prepared just to up sticks and leave all of a sudden. Many of the locals have a close connection to the land, not just sentimentally, but also in economic terms. We know this by Allende's reference to white cotton plantations, dark coffee forests and cattle pastures. This is all that most people in the town have ever known. If they move because of something that might happen, then they won't just be able to start over somewhere else. So they figure it's less risky for them to stay than to leave.
We must also take into account the fact that most people in the town are poor. They might be worried as to what they will do for money, where they will stay, how they will be able to support their families, and so on. Colombia was, and is, a relatively poor country with little in the way of social welfare compared to the developed world. So the locals will not have been expecting much help or financial support from the government.
 

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