Residents in Mayon’s extended danger zone on alert in case of Alert Level 4

Residents living in the 7-to-8 kilometer extended danger zone around the Mayon Volcano are also on alert in case the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) places the volcano under Alert Level 4.

According to Ian Cruz’s report in “24 Oras” on Monday, a checkpoint was set up in Sto. Domingo, Albay so authorities could instantly inform residents if Alert Level 4 is now in effect.

Alert Level 4 means that the volcano may erupt anytime and that the danger zone may be expanded to a radius of 10 kilometers or more from the summit crater or active vent.

For 72-year-old Nilda Llandelar who lives near the border control point, she is ready to evacuate to safety at any time. 

“Siyempre, tanggap, nakakatakot naman ‘yan. Marami nang namatay sa Mayon na ‘yun. Siyempre aalis kami,” she said. 

(Of course, we will comply. It’s very frightening. Many have died because of Mayon. So we will definitely leave.) 

On Sunday, PHIVOLCS logged an increased seismic energy release in the volcano, which is currently under Alert Level 3 due to the occurrence of pyroclastic density currents (PDC). 

According to PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol, there might be an episode of magma recharge in the Mayon Volcano.

The report also quoted the PHIVOLCS as saying that the volcano’s eruptive activities such as rockfall events and PDCs or “uson” may continue.

Around 70,000 residents will be evacuated if the volcano is placed under Alert Level 4.

The Albay provincial government is preparing vehicles that could be used for immediate evacuation if the situation worsens.

“We have to prepare. Number one, yung mobility. So we need trucks or any form of vehicle na pwedeng sa maramihan or sa mga pamilya,” said Albay Governor Noel Rosal. 

(We have to prepare. Number one is mobility. So we need trucks or any form of vehicle that can accommodate large groups or families.) 

Malilipot town, which is within the 6-kilometer danger zone, has 406 families or more than 1,500 individual evacuees.

Supplies are sufficient at the San Jose Elementary School that currently shelters around 200 families. However, some evacuees are starting to get sick. 

“Sa DOH namin naglalagay sila ng rooms dapat na medyo dapat di makahalo doon sa karamihan ng mga bata,” said Malilipot Mayor Cenon Volante. 

(The local DOH is setting up rooms for the sick, which I hope would be a bit far, so that they would be far from most of the children.)

In Barangay San Jose, a tent city is being established at a vacant lot so public schools won’t be used as evacuation centers.

But the Malilipot town mayor said evacuees cannot transfer to the tent city yet due to the threat of a low pressure area (LPA).

“Huwag na muna naming ilipat. Doon na muna sila sa mga schools dahil pag nandyan sila sa tent, mahihirapan naman sila pag umulan,” Volante said.

(We won’t transfer them yet. They will stay in the schools for now, because they would have a harder time in the tents when it rains.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News