Number of Mayon evacuees surges to about 84,500 – local officials

The number of evacuees in Albay province swelled to almost 84,500 as threats of a possible major explosion of the restless Mt. Mayon persists.

In a report of Legazpi City’s Provincial Disaster Operation Center issued on Wednesday, a total of 84,425 individuals or 21,987 families from the 61 barangays within the 8-kilometer danger zone are currently sheltered in 79 evacuations centers located in different Albay towns.

This figure is 15,000 individuals or 3,696 families higher than the recorded 69,425 individuals or 18,291 families evacuated from the danger zone as of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology (Phivolcs) documented from Tuesday morning until Wednesday early morning a total of 298 volcanic earthquakes, 52 rock fall events, and four pyroclastic density currents generated from lava collapse.

“The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and desist from entering the eight kilometer-radius danger zone, and to be additionally vigilant against pyroclastic density current, lahars, and sediment-laden stream flows along channels draining the edifice,” the Phivolcs said.         /kga