By Connie Calipay | Philippine News Agency
At least 52 villages in various towns in Albay province were heavily affected by thick ashfall from Mayon Volcano on Saturday.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 5 (Bicol) reported that the 52 villages are in Camalig and Guinobatan towns, as well as in Ligao City.
Mayon’s pyroclastic density current (PDC), according to OCD-5, occurred at the Mi-isi Gully, affecting 18 barangays: Minto, Malabnig, Mapaco, Doña Tomasa, Agpay, San Rafael, Maguiron, Calzada, Iraya, Muladbucad Grande, Inamnan Pequeño, Inamnan Grande, Bubulusan, Lomacao, Maninila, Travesia, Lower Binogsacan, and Ilawod in Guinobatan town.
In Camalig town, affected are 17 barangays: Cabangan, Salugan, Anoling, Sua, Quirangay, Tumpa, Barangays 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and portions of Barangays Libod, Ilawod, Gapo, and Sumlang.
In Ligao City, 17 barangays have also been affected: Busac, Allang, Palapas, Abella, Malama, Paulba, Maonon, Balanac, Tupas, Tiongson, San Vicente, Tandarura, Pandan, Bacong, Cabarian, Pinamaniquian, and Oma-Oma.
OCD-5 has begun distributing about 250 boxes of face masks to the municipalities of Daraga, Camalig, and Guinobatan, and Ligao City.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the plume is currently drifting west-southwestward, with ashfall affecting the towns of Camalig and Guinobatan, Albay.
“The estimated PDC runout is 4 km.,” the agency said.
Interventions amid Mayon unrest
Meanwhile, the Deployable Response Group (DRG) of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District 5 is now on alert and ready for possible deployment in connection with the ongoing activity and flow of pyroclastic density currents from Mayon Volcano.
PCG-5 Bicol commander, Commodore Ivan Roldan, said more than 124 DRG personnel from various units in the district are on standby to conduct immediate response operations, including evacuation support and humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 5 has also mobilized and deployed personnel to the affected areas.
“Our teams are already on the ground, actively providing assistance and emergency services to affected communities, while closely coordinating with concerned government agencies and local disaster risk reduction and management councils,” BFP-5 Director, Senior Supt. Achilles Santiago, said.
All BFP-Albay personnel are on high alert, with fire stations in and around the affected areas maintaining full operational readiness.
Response teams remain pre-positioned and ready for immediate deployment as the situation continues to be closely monitored.
Personnel are delivering emergency response, evacuation assistance, search-and-rescue operations, and other critical services to ensure the safety and welfare of affected residents.
BFP-5 assured the public of its continued presence and commitment to effectively address the needs of communities affected by the eruption of Mayon Volcano.
Residents in high-risk zones are urged to continue following and heeding the advisories issued by Phivolcs and local authorities. (PNA)
