19 July 2006
LEGAZPI CITY—THE ALBAY provincial board yesterday afternoon declared areas within the seven-kilometer extended danger zone under a state of calamity as a preparation for Mt. Mayon’s major eruption, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said could be within two weeks or even earlier.
Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez said he requested the declaration and it was approved by the board to ensure that the funds will be ready and necessary preparations be put in place before the affected people are evacuated as Mt. Mayon’s rumbling intensifies.
Closely monitoring
Eduardo Laguerta, Phivolcs-Legazpi’s senior science research specialist and resident volcanologist, said there were no recorded major volcanic activities yesterday that could lead to the raising of alert level.
He said, though, that Phivolcs was closely monitoring the volcano’s magma density and lava extrusion rate as it had been observed to be increasing since Friday night when a glowing summit of the volcano was observed and the alert level was elevated to three.
Be vigilant
Residents living immediately outside the six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone have been advised by the Phivolcs to be vigilant of hazardous pyroclastic and lava flows, rockfalls, and small avalanches from the 2,474-meter volcano.
Based on reports from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council here, there are six municipalities and 21 villages within the six-to-eight-kilometer distance from the crater with 6,724 families or 37,017 persons. Ephraim Aguilar, Southern Luzon Bureau
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