Evacuation of 1,400 families begins amid Mayon’s restiveness

MANILA, Philippines —Evacuation has begun in the town of Camalig in Albay on Friday due to Mayon volcano’s possible eruption, according to the Albay Provincial Information Office (PIO).

Four barangays within Mayon’s permanent six kilometer danger zone have been ordered by Camalig town Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo Jr. to evacuate.

“Immediate mandatory evacuation is ongoing today for barangays Sua, Tumpa, Quirangay, and Anoling with an estimated 1,400 families,” said Albay PIO in a Facebook post.

Camalig’s local government unit had previously activated its Emergency Operations Center and mobilized each barangay’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“As of yesterday, Camalig has been gathering the total number of population at risk, preparing to set up modular tents and  starting to preposition essential goods before starting the main evacuation efforts,” the office said.

Albay had declared on Friday a state of calamity after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Alert Level 3 on Mayon.

According to Phivolcs’ website, this alert level means there is “relatively high unrest.”

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