Philippine volcano evacuees facing 'months away'
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
LEGASPI, Philippines — Tens of thousands of people evacuated from the area around Mayon volcano in the Philippines may have to spend up to four months in temporary shelters, officials said on Saturday.
More than 39,000 of the 50,000 people living in farming communities in the fertile foothills of Mayon have so far been relocated since the mountain began spewing lava, steam and ash Monday.
But with signs that the 2,460 metre (8,070 feet) volcano was preparing for a major explosion, the evacuees have been told to prepare "for an extended stay of up to three months or four months in camps," said Cedric Daep, public safety and emergency chief in Albay province where Mayon is located.
He said a 24-hour curfew has been imposed in an eight kilometre (five mile) radius danger zone amid reports that locals were returning to check on their homes and farms during the day.
"We have to be strict about that. We have to manage people. We cannot control the activity of Mayon volcano and it is better to preserve life than agricultural commodities," Daep said.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said tons of relief goods, including food, bottled water, rice and noodles were trucked into the evacuation camps Saturday.
"We have also brought in close to 4,000 face masks for the children in the areas where there is ashfall and particles in the air," she said, adding that more aid would be sent soon.
She noted that when Mayon last erupted in 2006, it oozed lava and vented steam for months.
While no one was killed by the eruption, tons of volcanic debris that had collected on Mayon's slopes were dislodged by a powerful typhoon three months later. The avalanche of mud and boulders crushed entire villages, leaving over 1,000 dead.
Mayon, renowned for its near-perfect cone, has erupted 48 times in recorded history. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it recorded a total of 248 volcanic quakes from Mayon on Friday, including at least 50 caused by minor eruptions.
"These explosions produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached a maximum height of 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above the summit before drifting towards southwest," the institute said.
The institute has raised a level-three warning on a five-point scale for Mayon, indicating increased activity that may lead to a major eruption.
Volcanologists said two lava domes were spotted in the crater, indicating a build up of pressure.
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
LEGASPI, Philippines — Tens of thousands of people evacuated from the area around Mayon volcano in the Philippines may have to spend up to four months in temporary shelters, officials said on Saturday.
More than 39,000 of the 50,000 people living in farming communities in the fertile foothills of Mayon have so far been relocated since the mountain began spewing lava, steam and ash Monday.
But with signs that the 2,460 metre (8,070 feet) volcano was preparing for a major explosion, the evacuees have been told to prepare "for an extended stay of up to three months or four months in camps," said Cedric Daep, public safety and emergency chief in Albay province where Mayon is located.
He said a 24-hour curfew has been imposed in an eight kilometre (five mile) radius danger zone amid reports that locals were returning to check on their homes and farms during the day.
"We have to be strict about that. We have to manage people. We cannot control the activity of Mayon volcano and it is better to preserve life than agricultural commodities," Daep said.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said tons of relief goods, including food, bottled water, rice and noodles were trucked into the evacuation camps Saturday.
"We have also brought in close to 4,000 face masks for the children in the areas where there is ashfall and particles in the air," she said, adding that more aid would be sent soon.
She noted that when Mayon last erupted in 2006, it oozed lava and vented steam for months.
While no one was killed by the eruption, tons of volcanic debris that had collected on Mayon's slopes were dislodged by a powerful typhoon three months later. The avalanche of mud and boulders crushed entire villages, leaving over 1,000 dead.
Mayon, renowned for its near-perfect cone, has erupted 48 times in recorded history. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it recorded a total of 248 volcanic quakes from Mayon on Friday, including at least 50 caused by minor eruptions.
"These explosions produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached a maximum height of 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above the summit before drifting towards southwest," the institute said.
The institute has raised a level-three warning on a five-point scale for Mayon, indicating increased activity that may lead to a major eruption.
Volcanologists said two lava domes were spotted in the crater, indicating a build up of pressure.
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