Duterte to visit Mayon evacuees

LEGAZPI CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to arrive here on Monday afternoon to personally assess ongoing disaster operations following Mayon Volcano’s eruption, sending 82,000 residents to various evacuation shelters in six towns and three cities here in Albay province.

Pres. Duterte will be briefed by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Renato Solidum, Jr., director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), on the current situation of Mayon Volcano which, for the past two weeks, has been exhibiting intense restiveness.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara, Albay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair, will also brief the President on the disaster relief operations in more than 70 evacuation shelters in the towns of Malilipot, Bacacay, Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, and the cities of Tabaco, Ligao, and Legazpi.

Claudio Yucot, Office of Civil Defense regional director, will report about the assistance extended by national agencies to the disaster and relief operations.

After the briefing, the President will entertain questions from local government officials and disaster authorities.

Mayon Volcano has had four lava fountaining events so far, with lava and pyroclastic flowing at the Miisi and Bonga gullies during the past 26 hours according to the latest PHIVOLCS bulletin.

Heavy rainfall for the past two days generated lahar on the Binaan Channel and the sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the volcano edifice due to the remobilization of deposits of pyroclastic density currents on the watershed areas.

PHIVOLCS’ instruments recorded 41 volcanic earthquakes, six tremors, and 16 rockfall events.

The volcano continues to emit a high volume of sulfur dioxide gas measured at an average of 1,916 tonnes/day, while the GPS and tiltmeter instruments indicate a sustained swelling or inflation of the edifice.

Alert Level 4 remains in effect over Mayon as volcanologists warned residents to keep out of the 8km-radius danger zone for sudden pyroclastic, lahar flows and sediment-laden streamflows.

Following the briefing presentation, the President would entertain questions to be raised by local chief executive and disaster authorities.

Mayon volcano has ejected four lava fountaining events, where lava and pyroclastic continue to flow at the Miisi and Bonga gullies for the past 26 hours, latest PHIVOLCS bulletin said.

Heavy rainfall for the past two days generated lahar on the Binaan Channel and the sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the volcano edifice due to the remobilization of deposits of pyroclastic density currents (PDC) on the watershed areas.

Phivolcs instruments recorded 41 volcanic earthquakes, six tremors, and 16 rockfall events.

The volcano continues to emit a high volume of sulfur dioxide gas measured at an average of 1,916 tonnes/day while GPS and tiltmeter instrument indicate a sustained swelling or inflation of the edifice. (Mar Serrano and Connie Calipay/PNA)

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