LEGAZPI CITY — The Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) ordered the evacuation of residents in areas surrounding the Mayon Volcano in order to avoid danger to lives and property posed by its increasing activity.
This, as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Mayon Volcano’s alert to level 2 on Sunday dawn.
The council ordered the evacuation of residents inside and within the volcano’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone. Located in this areas are the villages of Anoling, Quirangay, Sua, Tumpa, Tinubran Camalig; Tandarora, Maninila, all in the municipality of Guinobatan; Miisi, Budiao, Banadero, Matnog of the municipality of Daraga; barangays Calbayog and Canaway, Malilipot; Buang Buhian and Magapo of Tabaco City ; Baligang and Amtic in Ligao City.
Sto Domingo town mayor Herbie Aguas, on the other hand, ordered that residents within the slopes of the volcano who might be experiencing ashfalls should take precautionary measures against inhalation and possible roof collapse due to accumulated heavy ash and rain.
The villages of Lidong, Fidel Surtida, Sta. Misericordia, and San Fernando were placed on alert, preparedness and monitoring status.
Daraga town mayor Gerry Jaucian also ordered residents and the public to refrain from engaging in any human activity within the volcano’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone.
The Albay PDDRMC also directed all mayors in the affected areas to strictly monitor the activity of the volcano fin the next 24 hours.
Based on the latest Phivolcs monitoring data, the volcano had another phreatic explosion at 8:49 a.m. Sunday. This is the second phreatic eruption of Mayon which was recorded following a similar phenomenon which lasted for almost two hours on Saturday afternoon.
According to PHIVOLCS Albay resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta, the explosion lasted five minutes and four seconds and recorded continuing rockfalls at the southeastern quadrant of Mayon volcano, adding that ash plume in grayish color also came out from it. (PNA)