Fate of Mayon evacuees known today

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Officials of the Albay’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) will decide today whether to send some evacuees home, depending on the result of an assessment on Mayon Volcano’s condition by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs’ latest ground deformation data showed that Mayon’s surface inflation increased by least 1.1 millimeters or is now at 15.7 millimeters, as compared to data collected from Oct. 14 to 19 showing the volcano’s inflation at 14.6 millimeters.

 “This means that magma buildup continues inside the volcano despite a drop in other abnormal parameters,” said volcanologist Ed Laguerta.

In the past 24-hour monitoring period, Phivolcs did not detect any volcanic earthquake, while gas emission was recorded at 448 tons.

Laguerta shared the observation of Phivolcs director Renato Solidum during a Congress hearing here last week that evacuees from areas within seven to eight kilometers from the crater may be allowed to return home.

However, these residents should always be ready to re-evacuate should Mayon’s condition deteriorate, he said.

“This is the reason why we want to make a recommendation only after getting the reactions of the local officials, particularly the mayors of the affected towns and cities,” Laguerta said.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay public safety and emergency management office (Apsemo), said he would not lift the one-kilometer buffer zone around Mayon.

 “Whatever will be the recommendation of Phivolcs, we will always put a kilometer buffer zone to ensure the safety of our constituents,” Daep told The STAR.

Daep admitted that it is difficult to prepare for an eruption, especially with Mayon, which he described as erratic and difficult to predict.

He said the long wait by the evacuees until the natural disaster is over is only one of the sacrifices that everybody has to bear whenever Mayon is restive.