Update: More Than 2,000 Evacuated Around Mayon Volcano as It Spews Ash Again
Families from Tabaco City, Camalig and Ligao City left the danger zone in Albay, Philippines, and volcano officials kept Alert Level 3 in place Saturday.
See where this is ›ALBAY, Philippines —
Authorities in Albay province in the Philippines evacuated 746 families, or 2,041 people, from around Mayon Volcano after Friday's eruption, and the volcano sent up more ash early Saturday, Oct. 31, GMA News and the Daily Tribune reported. The count comes from the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, known as APSEMO, as of 5 p.m. Friday.
See where this is ›Tabaco City accounted for 531 of the families, and Tabaco ordered a mandatory evacuation. Camalig accounted for 205 families, and Barangay Baligang in Ligao City accounted for 10, the reports said. Local governments in Malilipot, Legazpi City, Sto. Domingo, Daraga and Guinobatan were monitoring the situation.
At least 1,477 residents remained in evacuation centers on Saturday, according to an excerpt of a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
See where this is ›The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, or PHIVOLCS, recorded an ash emission at 5:17 a.m. Saturday that rose up to 200 meters above the crater and drifted west-southwest, GMA News reported. The agency counted 15 volcanic earthquakes and 30 rockfall events on Friday. “Alert Level 3 prevails over Mayon and entry into the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone should be prohibited,” PHIVOLCS said.
Friday's moderately explosive eruption began at 11:53 a.m., lasted six minutes and sent a plume about 3,000 meters above the crater. GMA News, the Daily Tribune and Gulf News all reported that the alert was raised that day from Level 2 to Level 3, the point on which earlier reports had differed.
The Albay Provincial Health Office distributed 22,000 surgical masks, and classes at all levels were suspended across the province, the reports said. The Daily Tribune reported that APSEMO placed the Provincial Disaster Operation Center on red alert and published a photo of students in Guinobatan covering their faces amid ashfall. The Albay Veterinary Office told owners to shelter animals and cover their food and water, saying, “Volcanic ash can cause health and welfare risks to our livestock.”
What we don't know yet: Officials have not said when families may go home, and no injuries have been mentioned in the reports we reviewed. The figures of 2,041 and 1,477 come from different days and may not count the same people; we could read only an excerpt of the Inquirer report. We are still gathering details on how churches in the area have been affected.
