Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 11) — Some 13,000 residents have been evacuated from the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone around Mayon Volcano as of Sunday evening, according to the provincial government of Albay.
Based on Albay’s 7 p.m. evacuation update, some 3,680 families or 12,758 individuals are temporarily staying in 19 evacuation centers in the province amid a restive Mayon, which is currently under Alert Level 3.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum are set to visit the province on Monday.
READ: Marcos: Gov’t ready for possible Mayon eruption
In an earlier interview with reporters in Albay, Eugene Escobar, chief of the research division of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), said they target to evacuate 14,213 people within the day.
\”We’re about to complete the evacuation noong mga nasa loob ng [of those inside the] six-kilometer danger zone and as of last night we have 3,497 families comprising of 11,756 persons,\” said Escobar.
\”It’s safe to say that today the evacuation for those in the six kilometer danger zone will be completed,\” he added.
Escobar also mentioned that some evacuees chose to stay with relatives rather than at evacuation centers.
On Friday, Albay Gov. Edcel Greco Lagman said preemptive evacuation efforts started in Camalig and Guinobatan as they are the towns most vulnerable to the volcanic activity.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy on Saturday said power plants near Mayon have not been affected by recent volcanic activities.
The two closest power facilities near the volcano are the Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant in Albay and the Bacon-Manito Geothermal Power Plant in Sorsogon.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines is also monitoring 285 structures such as towers and posts within the 15-kilometer radius of Mayon Volcano.
