Over 5,800 people evacuated due to Taal Volcano unrest — PDRRMO

More than 5,800 people have been evacuated from their homes as Alert Level 3 is still raised over the Taal Volcano, the Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said Tuesday.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, PDRRMO chief Lito Castro said evacuees are prohibited from going back to their residences until Alert Level 3 is lifted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

“As of 8:00 kagabi, meron po tayong mga kababayan na in-evacuate po. Ang ating total number of families ay 1,632 at ang number of individuals ay 5,878,” he said

(As of 8:00 p.m., we have some countrymen who have been evacuated. The total number of families was 1,632 and the number of individuals was 5,878.)

A total of 466 families were staying outside evacuation centers or in the houses of their relatives.

A separate report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 5,688 people or 1,539 families in 11 barangays were affected by the volcanic activity. 

A total of 3,771 individuals or  1,142 families were staying inside 17 evacuation centers, while 1,203 persons or 265 families were staying in other places, according to the NDRRMC on Tuesday.

Local government units have allowed the residents to check on their farm animals and property from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Philippine Coast Guard is also keeping a logbook of fishermen who will attend to their fish cages on Taal Lake surrounding the volcano.

To enforce health protocols against the spread of COVID-19 in evacuation centers, rural and provincial health units are monitoring the facilities, Castro said. Antigen test kits are also on standby.

On Saturday, PHIVOLCS raised Alert Level 3, signifying magmatic unrest, over Taal Volcano following "a short-lived phreatomagmatic burst."

PHIVOLCS said the main crater of Taal Volcano "generated a short-lived phreatomagmatic burst" at 7:22 a.m. and "followed by nearly continuous phreatomagmatic activity that generated plumes 1500 m accompanied by volcanic earthquake and infrasound signals."

Alert Level 3 means "magma is near or at the surface, activity could lead to hazardous eruption in weeks, and danger zones may be expanded up to eight kilometers from the active crater," according to PHIVOLCS. —KG/VBL, GMA News