Restless Taal Volcano displaces 21,789 individuals — NDRRMC

(FILE) Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police and Philippine Air Force assist residents as they leave their homes in Barangay Buso-Buso in Laurel town in Batangas following forced evacuation on Sunday, July 3, 2021.  📷:Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 6,027 families or 21,789 individuals were displaced from their homes after being forced to evacuate by the restless Taal Volcano, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

According to the NDRRMC in its latest monitoring report, only 1,688 families (5,922 people) are staying in evacuation centers, while 4,359 families (15,867 people) are staying outside of these shelters.

Currently, there are 26 evacuation centers open to accommodate evacuees from the 145 barangays affected by the Taal Volcano.

The NDRRMC said that it so far spent P16,009,434 in provided assistance for the affected residents.

NDRRMC said 4,495 food packs and 9,000 ready-to-eat meals were provided to the affected residents, as well as 5,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 family kits, 5,000 sleeping kits, 477 modular tents, and 500 family tents.

Meanwhile, as of July 22, Alert Level 3 currently remains hoisted over Taal Volcano, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recording 35 volcanic earthquakes over the past 24 hours.

Communities surrounding the volcano and the Taal Lake are still advised to remain vigilant and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify.

Alert Level 3 was raised in Taal Volcano on July 1 after the volcano had a phreatomagmatic blast, which means magma extruding from its main crater could trigger an “explosive eruption.”

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