Filtered By: Topstories
News

NDCC to agencies: Keep people away from Mayon, Taal


The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) on Wednesday reminded disaster management agencies in Albay province to keep people away from river channels and danger areas around Mayon Volcano. In a memorandum dated 8 a.m., NDCC administrator Glenn Rabonza said Mayon remains at Alert Level 2, indicating unrest that could lead to ash explosions or hazardous magmatic eruption. "Active river channels and those areas perennially identified as lahar prone in the southeast sector should also be avoided especially during bad weather conditions or when there is heavy and prolonged rainfall," Rabonza said. He addressed his memorandum to the regional and provincial disaster coordinating council officials concerned. Rabonza also reminded disaster management agencies near Taal Volcano in Batangas to keep people away from the volcano's main crater. Taal remains under Alert Level 1. "The Main Crater remains off limits to the public because steam explosions may suddenly occur or high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate," he said. In reminding Bicol officials of the potential threat from Mayon, Rabonza said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) had already strongly recommended the 6-km permanent danger zone and the 7-km extended danger zone at the volcano's southeast flank are off-limits. Rabonza reminded the disaster management councils to continue "monitoring and precautionary measures." Last July 10, Phivolcs raised the alert level at Mayon from 1 to 2 due to "moderate unrest" there in past weeks. "This alert condition signifies a state of unrest which could lead to ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption. Thus, at Alert Level 2, Phivolcs strongly recommends that the 6-km radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the southeast flank of the volcano are off-limits due to the threat from sudden explosions and rockfalls from the upper slopes," Phivolcs said. - GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT