The Philippine Online Chronicles

On the order of Daraga Mayor Ceciro Triunfante , 702 families or 3,550 people have been evacuated from their homes in the light of seismic activity from Mt. Mayon. The volcano has already produced three ash explosions which according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) might precede a magmatic eruption.

The evacuees are from Barangays Bañadero and Matnog, which are within the 6 km danger zone around Mt. Mayon. They are currently being housed at the Anislag resettlement site and Daraga’s newly constructed two-story concrete evacuation building.

“Since the evacuation order came from the mayor, we will immediately provide food and other assistance for the evacuees,” chief of Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) Cedric Daep.

Mt. Mayon is currently at alert level 2, meaning the volcano is exhibiting moderate unrest, possibly due to magmatic activity. If Phvolcs raises the alert level to 3, wherein an eruption is imminent in the next few days, up to 7,946 families will have to be evacuated. At alert level 4, signaling intense unrest in Mayon, up to 26,178 families will be evacuated from within 8 km of the volcano. Level 5 signifies an eruption with pyroclastic flows, tall eruption columns and extensive ashfall.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, also chairman of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, said they are aiming for zero casualties in case of a full-blown volcanic eruption.