Nearly 2,900 people evacuated due to Mayon Volcano activity

A total of 2,889 individuals or 729 families have been evacuated from their homes due to the activity of Mayon Volcano in Albay, Governor Noel Rosal said on Wednesday.

“So far, 'yung ating 729 families, accounted natin 'yan, representing 2,889 individuals from four municipalities and two cities,” Rosal told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview.

“So far, normal naman ang sitwasyon, kailangan lang talaga ilikas 'yung mga nasa six-kilometer permanent danger zone,” he added.

Rosal said that relief and basic needs of evacuees can be sustained even if evacuations last for months.

“Well, as before, maganda naman ang coordination natin. Mauna muna 'yung LGU, then papasok 'yung probinsya, then nandiyan na 'yung national government through the DSWD, the DPWH, and other national government agencies,” he said.

According to him, resettlement programs have already reduced the number of residents living within the danger zone in Legazpi, Daraga, Guinobatan, and Ligao from nearly 9,000 people in previous years to less than 3,000 now.

Health and sanitation measures are also in place in evacuation centers. 

On water and sanitation concerns, Rosal said contingency measures are ready, including the deployment of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the installation of large water containers and sanitation facilities in evacuation centers.

Alert Level 3 was raised over Mayon Volcano in Albay on Tuesday after pyroclastic density currents (PDC) or “uson” were recorded, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

PHIVOLCS said an Alert Level 3 for Mayon means “high level of volcanic unrest." —AOL, GMA Integrated News