Taal evacuee dies of cardiac arrest in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines — An evacuee from Taal, Batangas died due to cardiac arrest a day after he was brought to an evacuation center in Bauan town.

Lt. Col. Joemar Labiano, Bauan police chief, identified the fatality as Antonio Baleros, 51, who died at 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to Labiano, Baleros and his family were moved to Bauan Technical High School on Monday after the Taal Volcano spewed large clouds of ash, threatening thousands of residents especially those living close to the main crater.

He said Baleros was found unconscious by the latter’s family who were with him in the evacuation site.

“Ang sabi ng kapamilya, natulog siya tapos umuungol, tapos itinakbo sa hospital (His family said he was sleeping then moaned, before he was rushed to the hospital),” the police official told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

He said the man was also suffering from cough and colds like other evacuees in the site, and had a previous medical condition before his death.

Baleros’ medical condition, however, was not elaborated by his family, according to Labiano.

A total of 12,486 or 53,019 individuals from Batangas and Cavite have been evacuated as of 6 a.m. Wednesday after the phreatic or steam-driven eruption of Taal Volcano that started on Sunday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Both Batangas and Cavite were placed under state of calamity as residents continue to suffer from heavy ash fall brought by the eruption.