8 areas in Albay under state of calamity—Albay gov

By: Nestor Corrales - 10 years ago

Residents living near Mayon Volcano take a closer look at the lava in Barangay Mabinit, Legazpi City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Albay Governor Joey Salceda on Tuesday declared a state of calamity in eight areas after alert level three was raised on Mayon Volcano, a radio report said.

Under a state of calamity are Sto. Domingo, Malilipot, Tabaco City, Ligao, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and Legazpi City, the report said.

The declaration of the state of the calamity will allow local government units to provide assistance to the affected areas, Salceda said.

Under the five-step alert level of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, three means that Mayon is in a state of “relatively high unrest” characterized by:

* frequent volcanic quakes and tremor;

*further increase in SO2 flux;

*rockfalls in summit area;

*gigorous steaming / sustained crater glow;

*persistent swelling of edifice.

Wth Mayon’s present state, Phivolcs is strictly imposing the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone and the seven to eight-km Extended Danger Zone.

On Monday night, 12,000 residents in three cities and three towns in Albay were evacuated.