News - Crisis Prevention and Recovery
12.16.2009 Evacuation at Mayon continues, eruption imminent By Rene Acosta
Business Mirror
DISASTER-mitigation officials in Albay on Wednesday continued to move residents out of the eight-kilometer danger zone as Mayon Volcano showed no respite in ejecting lava down its slope, which volcanologists said was a sign of eruption, possibly in the next days.
Members of the regional, provincial and town disaster coordinating councils worked tirelessly to evacuate residents from the danger areas since the volcano exhibited signs of eruption on Monday, Senior Supt. William Macavinta, Albay police commander, said.
Macavinta said the vehicles of the National Police, the Army, the provincial government of Albay, the Department of Public Works and Highways and even the Department of Social Welfare and Development are being used in the evacuation.
Both the Navy and the Air Force in Bicol have also been alerted and are ready to respond should their assistance be needed.
Acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) chairman, said that as of Wednesday, 68 percent of the families living in the danger area have been evacuated.
“By tomorrow morning [Thursday], I think the evacuation will be 100-percent complete,” Gonzales, who went to the province, said.
“The guidance of the President is for zero casualty.”
He said President Arroyo ordered the Armed Forces to ensure that no individual is left within the danger zone.
Gonzales said he was impressed with the way Albay Gov. Joey Salceda is handling the evacuation and in providing services to the affected families now housed in government shelters.
He said the NDCC will send 100,000 face masks to the province.
Raffy Alejandro, director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the Bicol region, said that as of 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a total of 4,858 or 22, 906 persons, have been moved out of the danger area and housed in 13 evacuation centers.
He said the local OCD officials are eyeing the evacuation of a total of 9,900 families, which he said they could possibly move out until Thursday.
Alejandro said facilities in additional government shelters are also being repaired.
He said that unlike on Monday, the volcano did not emit ash on Wednesday, although it continuously ejects lava.
Gonzales also ordered the military and the police to see to it that no human activity will occur inside the Mayon prohibited area.
The order was made during the regional development council meeting attended by top military officials, regional directors and local officials.
Guinobatan Mayor Juan Garcia assailed the Department of Health (DOH) for failing to provide his residents with face masks following the continuous ash flows affecting his town and the neighboring Camalig town.
Gil Ludovice of the DOH regional office said the department does not have the budget for the masks.
Garcia lamented that while they are also dreaming of a white Christmas, Guinobatan residents are now enjoying the effects of ash fall that has made his town white since Monday evening.
Gonzales asked local officials to submit to the NDCC the list of priority needs to avoid interruption of supply. (With M. Ugalde)
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