Tensions run high with stricter Taal danger zone lockdown
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 23) — Hours into the stricter implementation of the lockdown in Taal Volcano danger zones, emotions ran high from evacuees who insisted on visiting their homes.
It was a tense early Thursday morning in Tanauan City in Batangas. Several residents wanted to head to Talisay, which is included in the 199 barangays of the 15 municipalities and cities in Batangas and Cavite that were placed in total lockdown, which completely bars evacuees from going back to their homes. They hoped they could be given a few hours to head home, but security forces did not budge.
Some raised their voices, trying to reason out to authorities that they will visit their animals or check on their homes. Despite the insistence of the residents, there was no violent interaction.
The Philippine government on Wednesday ordered the implementation of stricter measures to evacuate all residents within Taal Volcano’s danger zone, which have been identified as vulnerable to base surges and volcanic tsunami in case of Taal’s explosive eruption. Philippine National Police spokesperson Bernard Banac said there is a 48-hour deadline starting Wednesday to evacuate all residents within the Taal danger zone. They have started pulling out all security officers deployed in the 14-kilometer radius danger zone. The security forces are setting up checkpoints or “risk control points” 15 kilometers from Taal.
Over 459,000 people reside within the 14-kilometer zone. A total of 148,514 people are currently taking shelter in evacuation centers, while some opted to stay in homes outside the danger zone. However, an aerial inspection around the volcano on Tuesday showed that quite a number of residents are still staying right on the shore of the lake facing Taal in blatant defiance of the government’s order to stay out of the danger zone. Some residents who evacuated also temporarily returned home to check their properties and livestock.
State volcanologists on Thursday said the sulfur dioxide emission and volcanic earthquakes are lessening over time, but this does not mean the threat of a hazardous eruption is no longer possible.
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said there is a new supply of magma on the surface of Taal Volcano. He assured magma won’t seep through the cracks or fissures found in several Batangas towns.
“The risk will always be there. Base sa pag-aaral namin, kahit hindi masyadong malaki ang pagsabog, pwede pa rin mangyari ang base surge,” he said.
CNN Philippines senior correspondent David Santos contributed to this report.
He also confirmed he said there is a 30 percent chance Taal Volcano will have a powerful eruption, but insisted it is still a “big percentage.”
