Over 3,000 affected by Mayon Volcano’s unrest, says NDRRMC

Around 3,555 individuals have been affected by the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano in Albay, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Thursday.

In a situational report released at 11:00 a.m., the NDRRMC said that of the affected individuals, 963 families, or 3,516 people, are taking shelter inside 13 evacuation centers. The remaining 39 individuals are being assisted outside of evacuation centers.

NDRRMC said, that all affected residents are from Albay, primarily from the municipalities of Malilipot, Camalig, and Tabaco City.

Also, almost all of the affected families of around 960 households, have already received aid. The total cost of assistance has reached more than 4.7 million pesos.

Two municipalities in Albay were also reported to announced class suspensions, NDRRMC said.

Meanwhile, Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal said the local government is preparing to cater to more evacuees in the event that Mayon Volcano’s activity escalates to Alert Level 4.

“Currently, we have over 2,000 evacuees. If it reaches Alert Level 4, you’re talking about another 50,000 people. That is no joke,” Mr. Rosal said in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday in both English and Filipino.

According to the PHIVOLCS alert level bulletin, if Mayon Volcano reaches Alert Level 4, the danger zone will be expanded to a radius of 10 kilometers or more from the summit crater or active vent. This expansion would potentially cover more residential areas requiring evacuation.

“So, we will also need to seek support from the national government for evacuation and as we reach the communities. We need more mobility,” he said.

Mr. Rosal said that the 729 families who underwent preemptive evacuation are sheltered in evacuation centers across six local government units.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has also pledged assistance to provide a two-week food supply for these families, he said.

In the latest advisory from PHIVOLCS released a few hours ago, a new dome-collapse pyroclastic density current (PDC) event occurred at the summit of Mayon Volcano at 6:51 a.m.

This event generated “grayish co-PDC ash clouds that rose 1,000 meters before drifting west-northwest,” the NDRRMC said.

Since 12:00 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, a total of 40 discrete PDC events have already been recorded.

The NDRRMC also said that there have been reports of thin ashfall in areas including Legazpi City, Guinobatan, Bacacay, Camalig, and various other barangays.

Alert Level 3 remains in effect for Mayon Volcano since it was first raised on Tuesday, as the volcano exhibits a magmatic eruption of its summit lava dome. — Edg Adrian A. Eva