MANILA, Philippines — Over 3,000 individuals are taking shelter in evacuation centers in Batangas amid the continued unrest of the Taal Volcano, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tuesday.
NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said that evacuation efforts are underway.
READ: Evacuations underway in Batangas towns near Taal Volcano
“Tuloy-tuloy po ang ating evacuation activities na pinangungunahan ng ating mga local government units (LGUs) diyan sa may high-risk areas malapit diyan sa Bulkang Taal,” Timbal said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(Evacuation activities are ongoing led by local government units in high-risk areas near Taal Volcano.)
“Umabot na po tayo ng 3,771 katao o 1,142 families ang nag-i-stay ngayon sa mga evacuation centers. Bale, 17 evacuation centers po ang ginagamit natin para may matuluyan sila,” he added.
(There are 3,771 individuals or 1,142 families staying in evacuation centers. Seventeen evacuation centers are being used.)
Meanwhile, around 1,000 people or 200 families have evacuated but are staying with relatives or friends.
READ: Hundreds of families evacuate amid Taal Volcano unrest
“Napabalita din po sa atin na mayroong 265 families or 1,203 persons ang lumikas din pero nakituloy po sa mga kamag-anakan po nila and friends sa ibang lugar po sa Batangas,” said Timbal.
(We also received reports that there are 265 families or 1,203 persons who left their homes and stayed with relatives and friends in other parts of Batangas.)
According to the spokesman, the LGUs affected by Taal Volcano’s unrest are Agoncillo, Balete, Cuenca, Laurel, Lemery, Talisay, San Luis, Agoncillo, and Cuenca.
Timbal said that LGUs continue to provide family food packs to the affected households while there is an augmentation supply from the provincial government of Batangas.
In the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded three phreatomagmatic explosions and eight volcanic earthquakes at Taal Volcano.
READ: Taal Volcano records 3 eruptions, 8 quakes in 24-hour monitoring