19 July 2006
By Ephraim Aguilar
PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
LEGAZPI CITY—AS MORE LAVA continued to flow from Mt. Mayon—which volcanologists said could turn into an explosive eruption within weeks if the magma pool rapidly increases—35 evacuation centers in eight surrounding towns and cities were being readied by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.
Jukes Nuñez of the PDCC plans and operations division said the evacuation centers were inspected by engineers and health officers on Monday and their reports on the condition of the centers were expected to be submitted to the PDCC today.
Nuñez said the PDCC was seeking the help of nongovernment organizations to provide water containers, beddings and vehicles necessary for evacuation.
He added that the common need of the evacuation centers were sanitary toilets.
Since Sunday, PDCC head Cedric Daep had been going around the eight towns and cities to brief residents on evacuation procedures, which will be implemented as soon as the volcano’s alert level is raised to four by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
In a meeting on July 15, the PDCC and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas agreed that the local radio stations would be the main medium for conveying evacuation instructions to the residents.
PDCC data showed there were 74,969 persons or 13,870 families to be evacuated from 34 threatened villages in the eight towns and cities.
Phivolcs, meanwhile, in its latest advisory issued at 8 a.m. yesterday said Mayon continued to expel rocks and lava during the last 24-hour observation period.
Seismic activity around the volcano was dominated by 100 short-duration harmonic tremors associated with the intrusion of magma and the detachment of lava fragments, it said.
The lava flow has extended to 1,000 meters downslope from Monday’s reported 800 meters.
Fragments of incandescent boulders were observed by Phivolcs at about 3,000 meters from the summit at an elevation of 700 meters above sea level in Bonga gully.
Alert level three remained hoisted while residents immediately beyond the 6-km permanent danger zone (PDZ) around the volcano’s peak were told to watch out for pyroclastic and lava flows, rockfalls and small avalanches and be ready to evacuate at first notice.
Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City, which lies at the foot of the volcano, has invited tourists to enjoy the spectacle.
Lava and rocks have been flowing from Mayon’s near-perfect cone at 2,474 meters (8,118 feet) for five days now.
The authorities have extended the 6-km danger zone around the peak of the volcano to 7 kms on the southeastern slope, where most of the lava and debris have been rolling down, The Associated Press has reported.
“The number of earthquakes has decreased but the lava continues to advance,” said resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta. With an AP report.
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