Over 15,000 people flee as Mayon erupts
Phivolcs records 3 steam explosions since January 13; traces of ash fall noted in at least 4 towns.
The Philippines’ most active volcano rumbled back to life, with lava rising to its crater in a gentle eruption that has prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers over the weekend.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned a “hazardous eruption” of Mount Mayon, located in Albay province, is possible within weeks or even days.
Renato Solidum, who heads Phivolcs, said three steam-explosions at the volcano since January 13 have spewed ash into nearby villages and may have breached solidified lava at the crater and caused lava to start to flow out of the 2,460-meter volcano.
“Lava has flowed out of the volcano’s crater already but it’s just starting. It’s a non-explosive eruption,” Solidum told The Associated Press. “We have to verify tomorrow if it will flow continuously.”
Around 15,000 people have been moved to emergency shelters, including some from a permanent danger zone around Mayon, since the volcano started spewing steam and ash on Saturday.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), on the other hand, said a total of 3,061 families or 12,044 persons were evacuated from 10 barangays in the towns of Camalig, Guinobatan and Malilipot, which are within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.
The council said the affected families are temporarily staying in public schools which serve as evacuation centers.
Classes in the said public schools have been suspended.
NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said the government will also order evacuation in the municipalities of Daraga and Legazpi, which were also affected by the lava flow.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has standby funds amounting to P5.66 million and a stockpile of P13,352 family food packs and non-food items which the affected families can use while staying at the evacuation centers.
The local police are on standby and in close coordination with the municipal disaster council, particularly for the safety of the evacuees.
The NDRRMC was placed under blue alert as of 8 a.m. of January 15 to ensure regular coordination with the regional disaster council as well as the dissemina- tion of information and notification.
On January 13, around 5 p.m., the Mayon Volcano generated a steam driven explosion that produced grayish ash plume up to 2.5 kilometers high.
Traces of ash fall were seen in the municipalities of Camalig, Guinobatan, Daraga and Ligao.
On January 14, Phivolcs raised the alert level of the Mayon Volcano to level 2 and eventually to level 3.
Phivolcs advised the affected residents to wear face masks as precautionary measure against ash from the Mayon Volcano as it may cause or worsen cough, cold and asthma.
A popular tourist attraction because of its near-perfect cone, Mayon lies in coconut-producing Albay province.
The volcano has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently.
Villagers living near the volcano, which last erupted four years ago, have erected huge white crosses at the entrance of their neighborhoods, hoping they will protect them from harm.
On May 7, 2013, the volcano suddenly spewed ash, killing five climbers, including three Germans, who had ventured near the summit despite warnings of possible danger.