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390 families in Albay evacuated due to Mayon 'threat'


At least 390 families in Albay province in Bicol were preemptively evacuated amid increased activity at Mayon Volcano. Radio dzRH reported that the 390 families, or 1,665 people, from two villages in Daraga town were brought to the Daraga Supermarket for temporary shelter. The report said the town's local officials will meet Friday with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to discuss the activity of the volcano. Earlier, Phivolcs advised residents to take precautions as Mayon spewed ash into the air before dawn last Wednesday. Phivolcs head Renato Solidum Jr. said residents should clean their surroundings after an ash fall as the ash poses a health hazard. “Siguro kailangan natin i-remind ang ating kababayan ang pagbagsak ng abo may health hazard yan tulad ng paglanghap ng pino na abo dapat iwasan. Pag nagkaroon ng pagbagsak ng abo saraduhan ang bintana, pag nasa labas takpan ang ilong ng panyo o basang damit linisin agad ," Solidum said in an interview on dzBB radio. (We have to remind our residents that ash poses a health hazard. Avoid the ash when possible. In case of an ash fall, close your windows if you are indoors. If outdoors, cover your nose with a handkerchief or a damp cloth) He said ash fall remains possible even when Mayon is still under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs placed Mayon under Alert Level 2 last July 10. Solidum also advised residents to remove the ash from streets in their surroundings immediately after an ash fall, or at least pour water on them so the ash particles will not fly. On Wednesday, Mayon spewed ash more than a kilometer into the air but Phivolcs said there was no basis to raise the alert level for the volcano. In the meantime, Solidum said Phivolcs continues to keep watch over Mayon, particularly for a possible magmatic eruption. “Wala pa sa ganoon ang ganoong pangyayari (pero) di natin masabing malayo talaga. Posibleng magpatuloy ang activity (We do not see a magmatic eruption soon but neither can we discount it at this time. It is always possible that volcanic activity will continue)," he said. He advised residents in the area to continue observing the 6-km permanent danger zone around the volcano, and the 7-km extended danger zone in the Legazpi City-Daraga area. - GMANews.TV

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