By Gabriela Baron
The Provincial Government of Albay evacuated on Monday, June 12, about 10,000 farm animals amid the Mayon Volcano unrest.
The animals were from 41 barangays inside the six-kilometer (km) permanent danger zone (PDZ).
Albay Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Pancho Mella said they had mobilized their Mayon Eruption Animal Response Team and placed them in their designated pooling sites or feeding camps from directly affected barangays in Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Guinobatan, Camalig, Malilipot, Ligao City, Tabaco City, and Legazpi City.
Mella said based on their preparedness and response to the possible disastrous effects of Mayon Volcano eruption on the livestock sector, they need to evacuate all livestock animals from the six-km PDZ and move them to seven or eight-km sites.
“If the Phivolcs raise the Mayon status to Alert Level 4, all the affected animals will be transferred again to the 9 km or 10 km assigned evacuation areas,” Mella said.
“Providing feed, non-feed supplies, veterinary support, and veterinary-related interventions is also part of the government’s prompt action for the affected animal population farmers,” he added.
Under the emergency response, the Albay Veterinary Office will also establish feeding camps and temporary shelters to house livestock and poultry in safe areas with abundant water sources to ensure their safety and well-being.
READ MORE: 5K farmers affected by Mayon Volcano unrest
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