Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 15) — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is currently identifying more sites in Albay to be used as evacuation centers as more residents flee to safer grounds amid the eruption of Mayon Volcano.
OCD spokesperson Raffy Alejandro told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Thursday that over 17,000 people, or 4,800 families, are currently in 25 evacuation centers in the province.
He said the OCD is working with the provincial government of Albay to increase the number of evacuation sites, which will be urgently needed if Mayon’s alert level status is raised from 3 to 4.
“We really need more [evacuation centers] because if the alert level is escalated to 4, and [the danger zone] increases from 6 to 7 (kilometers), there will be additional 7,000 individuals who need to be relocated,” Alejandro explained.
Around 30,000 families are expected to be in evacuation centers if the situation worsens, he added.
Alejandro also said the smaller evacuation sites should be decongested, and the OCD will coordinate with local government units as well as the Education and Public Works departments to start this process.
Aside from the 17,216 people living in evacuation centers, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported some 725 people opted to stay “outside evacuation centers,” which could mean makeshift dwellings or houses of relatives.
More than ₱37 million worth of assistance including family food packs and hygiene and sleeping kits have been provided to affected residents, the NDRRMC said.
Overall, the agency said the volcanic activity of Mayon has reportedly disrupted the lives of 37,682 people — which consists of displaced residents and “economically affected” individuals.
In its latest bulletin on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it has recorded two volcanic quakes and 306 rockfall events at Mayon. The volcano also emitted 193 tons of the toxic sulfur dioxide.
State volcanologists also observed a “very slow effusion” of lava from Mayon’s summit crater.
