‘Mayon quarrying perilous to many Albay residents’

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – Irresponsible quarrying, which may shift the direction of lahar flows, authorities said, poses a serious threat to thousands of residents near the lower slope of Mayon Volcano.

During the press briefing at the Albay Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) hall at the Albay Capitol yesterday morning, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) chief Dr. Cedric Daep reiterated that irresponsible quarrying at the slope of Mayon, may affect the present lahar flow hazard map.

“Nagbibigay ng permit ang provincial government na mag-quarry dyan, pero dapat sumusunod sila sa mga dapat gawin. Dapat, mag-uumpisa sila sa baba, saka pataas. Yung mga channels lang ang dapat i-dredge, yung mga dati ng dinaadaanan at wag yung mga nasa gilid. Kung mali ang sistema, irresponsible yun (The provincial government issues quarry permits in the area, but quarrying must be done right. If the wrong system is applied, that is irresponsible),” he said.

According to Daep, he has been receiving reports of such activities, amid Mayon Volcano’s eruption.

Daep said that he will call the attention of the police to strictly implement the advisory of no activities inside the danger zone.

Based from the record of APSEMO, 223,485 families are under threat from lahar flows in 60 barangays in the province.

The other day, Mariton Bornas, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief said that quarrying at the slope of Mayon Volcano must stop.

She said that it may lead the changes of the direction of lahar flow, especially during heavy rains.

Phivolcs resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta, meantime said Mayon has so far ejected 67 million cubic meters of volcanic debris.

Laguerta warned that 18.3 million cubic meters of volcanic debris could be flushed down by intense rain and will endanger areas near the restive volcano.