Mayon watch: Residents in 2 Albay villages evacuated

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Despite Mayon’s going back to lull condition after exploding ashes at least thrice on Wednesday, some 702 families, or 3,550 persons, residing in two villages at the foot of the volcano, were evacuated yesterday to the Anislag resettlement site and at the newly constructed two-story concrete evacuation building in Daraga, Albay.

Cedric Daep, chief of Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo), said the evacuation order came directly from Daraga Mayor Ceciro Triunfante, following Mayon’s series of ash explosions at 1:58 a.m., 7:02 a.m. and 12:20 a.m. the other day.

Daep said the evacuees came from Barangays Bañadero and Matnog, two villages located within the six-kilometer radius from the volcano’s crater in Daraga, the adjacent town of this city.

“Since the evacuation order came from the mayor, we will immediately provide food and other assistance for the evacuees,” Daep told The STAR.

The Apsemo chief said they were merely awaiting advice from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for an immediate evacuation should the present alert level 2 over Mayon is raised to 3.

“Everything is already put on cue once evacuation is recommended by Phivolcs should Mayon’s condition further worsen,” Daep said, adding that they are not going to stop anybody residing at the foot of the volcano to leave voluntarily unless the situation calls for it.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that no school buildings will be occupied this time by the Mayon evacuees after the Spanish-funded concrete evacuation structure was already opened to house the displaced residents.

“Due to this, classes will no longer be disrupted since no schools will be utilized as evacuation centers in Daraga, Albay,” Salceda had texted to The STAR yesterday.

At least 26,000 families would be affected in case alert level 3 is hoisted over the country’s most active mountain. Mayon last erupted in 2006 and in 2001.

Moreover, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said the the agency is closely monitoring activities at Mayon after the volcano erupted Wednesday morning, spewing ashes that reached several villages.

The official said that aside from the volcanologists stationed in Legazpi City, the institute has already sent additional scientists to monitor the activity at the volcano.

For the past 24 hours, Solidum said only seven volcanic earthquakes were recorded at Mayon, adding that these were unfelt.

He said sulfur dioxide emission rate was measured at 510 tons per day, above the baseline data of 500 tons per day.