Evacuation starts as Mayon restiveness raised to Alert level 3

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept 16 (PIA) – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) in Albay has ordered all local government units (LGUs) and DRR authorities to implementforced evacuation late Monday night on all settlers within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone while at the same time preparation for an imminent evacuation of the 10,000 families in the 6-8 kilometer extended danger zone down slopes of Mayon Volcano following raising the alert level from 2 to 3 hoisted over the volcano.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda has issued the advisory late last night as Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised around 10:00 pm the alert level of Mayon Volcano from from Alarming to Critical Status due to the continuous observation of increasing abnormalities based on the parameters being monitored by the agency.

The advisory also provided the enforcement of “no human activity” policy within the 6-km PDZ as counter measures for disaster avoidance.

“Based on our recent aerial surveys of Mayon before and after Alert 2, we have observed some re-entry of about 300 settlers into the 6KM PDZ even though they have long been resettled. Moreover, other settlers may have taken advantage of the interregnum since the Mayon eruption 2009,” Salceda said.

The governor said all local governments concerned and their respective DRR team, including the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao, towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto Domingo and Malilipot, which were earlier trained on preparedness and response in the wake of Mayon unrest, were already directed to set preparations into motion for forced evacuation of settlers within 6-km PDZ while compulsory evacuation for residents inside the 6-8 km EDZ buffer zone.

In the emergency meeting today of Albay PDRRMC, Salceda, upon recommendation of Bicol Director Raffy Alejandro of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), has now placed villages in surrounding cities and municipalities directly affected by the restiveness of Mayon Volcano, which Alert Level is raised from 2 to 3, under state of calamity and directed mandatory evacuation not only for settlers within 6 km permanent danger zone but also those residing in 6-8 extended danger zone.

He furthered that classes will be suspended in schools with classrooms to be used as evacuation centers and in schools located within the 8-km extended danger zone down slopes of Mayon volcano due to threats of eruption.

Salceda has likewise ordered the Department of Education (DepEd) in the province to prepare contingency plan for school classes to be affected noting that as guidance during disasters, the rights of the evacuees are superior to the rights of schoolchildren.

"The province-owned permanent evacuation centers in Gogon, Aecid Daraga, and Guinobatan can no longer be used as classrooms starting today although there may be a need to use more schools to accommodate the evacuees from the 6-8KM EDZ," he stated.

He reiterated that the cluster approach, especially for camp management as organised and practiced during the Mayon 2009 eruption, shall be employed.

Populations located at the northeast of Mayon Volcano are also advised to be ready with damp cloths and/or dust masks in case of ashfall.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) are also ordered to check availability of evacuation vehicles and assist local DRRMCs in the premptive evacuation, check points in PDZ and EDZ, and camp security management.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ann Gemma Ongjoco reported that Guinobatan DRRMC has earlier conducted forced evacuation of 28 families or 120 persons living within the 6 kilometer danger zone in Barangay Muladbucad Grande.

Also today, Phivolcs' latest Mayon Bulletin shows that Mayon Volcano’s seismic network recorded thirty-two (32) volcanic earthquakes and seventy-two (72) rock fall events during the past 24-hour observation period. Intensity III (bright) crater glow was visible last night, although rain clouds prevented visual observation of the crater during the day.

Rolling incandescent rockfall within the uppermost reaches of the Bonga Gully last night indicates that the summit lava dome is breaching the crater in its southeastern side. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) flux was measured at an average of 611 tonnes/day on 02 September 2014. Ground deformation data showed inflationary changes in the edifice from February 2014 based on precise leveling surveys on the 3rd week of August 2014, and edifice inflation from January 2012 baselines based on continuous tilt measurement.

All the above data indicate that the volcano is exhibiting relatively high unrest due to the movement of potentially eruptible magma.

Mayon Volcano’s alert status has been raised to Alert Level 3. This means that magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruption is possible within weeks. It is recommended that the 6-km radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the southeastern flank be enforced due to the danger of rock falls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse that may generate hazardous volcanic flows. PHIVOLCS maintains close monitoring of Mayon Volcano and any new development will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders. (MAL/SAA-PIA5/Albay)