MANILA — The government has sufficient supplies for families affected by Mayon Volcano’s series of phreatic explosions in Albay.
This was stressed by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) spokesperson in an interview late Monday.
Supplies include relief and non-food items, she added.
The NDRRMC spokesperson made the statement amid reports that food and gas masks for affected residents are already running out.
She added that these items are already on their way to Albay along with some 5,000 sacks of rice coming from the National Food Authority.
Marasigan said the NDRRMC is constantly monitoring the status of affected residents in Albay to ensure prompt delivery of aid if needed.
Earlier, the Philippine Institute of Volcanolog and Seismology has raised the alert on Mayon Volcano to level 4 which indicates an imminent hazardous eruption.
With this, the danger zone is extended to nine-kilometer radius from the summit vent.
A total of 6,598 families or 25,191 individuals from Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Daraga, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Santo Domingo and Legazpi City, Albay are staying inside 27 evacuation centers while 740 families or 3,137 individuals are sheltering with their relatives.
Evacuation is ongoing within the extended danger zone through the Regional DRRM Council Bicol and Provincial DRRM Council of Albay.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has cancelled remaining flights to and from Legazpi City, Albay and Pili, Camarines Sur.
The National Council through its Regional DRRM Council in Bicol has provided assistance through the distribution of relief in affected areas.
To date, a total of PPHP20,549,814.12 worth of assistance has been provided for the affected communities of Mayon Volcano’s phreatic eruption utilizing pre-positioned resources from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health and Office of Civil Defense.
The NDRRMC Operations Center has raised its alert status to “red” in continuous monitoring of the activities of the volcano and its effects to nearby populace. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
