LEGAZPI CITY – At least 1,127 families or 2,230 individuals were evacuated from their homes in four towns in Albay on Sunday due to Severe Tropical Storm “Quinta.”
Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said these families were evacuated from areas prone to landslides, flash floods, storm surge, and lahar (mudflow) in the towns of Guinobatan, Malinao, Camalig, and Manito.
Daep said all families in hazard-prone areas in other 14 towns and cities will also be evacuated.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warns that heavy rainfall may generate post-eruption lahars in the major channels of Mayon Volcano.
Phivolcs said channels in danger of potential lahar are the Miisi, Anoling, and Quirangay in Camalig; Maninila, Masarawag, Muladbucad in Guinobatan; Nasisi in Ligao City; Matanag in Legazpi City and Basud Channel in Sto. Domingo.
The deposits and remnant ashfall of the January to March 2018 eruption in the river channels may threaten the areas near the slopes of the volcano.