2K families near Mayon forcibly evacuated

At least 2,000 families were forcibly evacuated Thursday night from the danger zone around Mayon Volcano in Albay province, as the restive volcano continued to show increased activity. A report by radio dzBB's Allan Gatus said police and military forces worked together with the Commission on Human Rights in conducting the evacuation operations. A total of 21 military trucks were used to bring residents in Tabaco City and Malilipot town to designated evacuation centers, the report said. The evacuated families were given sleeping mats and food at the evacuation centers. Fire trucks and ambulances were also deployed to accompany the military trucks during the forced evacuations, the report said.

On Thursday afternoon, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said 45 schools in Albay province have been designated as evacuation centers for families living in the danger zone [up to eight kilometers] around the restive Mayon Volcano. [See: 45 Albay schools designated as evacuation centers] As of 11 p.m. Thursday, the NDCC said 7,452 families or 35,498 people were brought to 25 evacuation centers. Local authorities also started imposing a 24-hour curfew in the danger zone extending to eight kilometers around the volcano. Zero casualty Provincial Governor Jose Salceda ordered a "zero casualty" policy for residents at the danger zone of Mayon, which extends up to eight kilometers from the volcano. Salceda said he did not want to wait until Friday morning for the evacuation in the areas to start. But Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral admitted that the government is in a no-win situation on the matter of forced evacuation. "Pagka binibigyan ng abiso na lumikas, ito ay para sa kabutihan nila kaya dapat sundin nila yan. Pag di nila sinunod yan at sila natusta doon dahil sa pagputok ng bulkan sisisihin din nila ang gobyerno samantalang sila naman ang ayaw lumikas (If we ask them to evacuate, it is for their own good, yet they criticize us. But if we do not act and they are hurt, they also criticize us even if they were already warned)," Cabral said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Meanwhile, the Department of Education voiced concerns the Mayon situation may affect more than 11,000 elementary and high school students. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen cited a report by Education Department Bicol office head Celedonio Layon Jr. that 11,661 students will be affected due to the ongoing evacuation. Layon also said more than 30 schools are in the affected areas, including those in the eight-kilometer extended danger zone around Mayon. The report said the affected areas included Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan and Malilipot towns, and the cities of Tabaco and Legazpi. - RSJ, GMANews.TV