Cops on alert in Sorsogon due to Mt. Bulusan

Police in Sorsogon province have been placed on full alert and instructed to prepare for possible preemptive evacuation in areas affected by restive Bulusan volcano. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday said the Sorsogon police has also been told to coordinate actions with local disaster officials. "(The Police Regional Office 5) upgraded the alert status of Sorsogon (provincial police office) from heightened to full alert status with preparations to include conduct of timely and rapid disaster response according to the needs of the affected areas, search-and-rescue operation, evacuation and relief operation, emergency medical services and security/traffic management operation in support to the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council," the NDRRMC said in an update Sunday. It said the coordination may include forced relocation or preemptive evacuation of residents in the affected areas. On Saturday, NDRRMC said local and national agencies are now coordinating their plans to protect residents in six towns - Juban, Irosin, Casiguran, Gubat, Barcelona and Busulan. As of early Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said seismic activity increased around Bulusan as 10 volcanic earthquakes and four explosion-type events had been recorded in the last 24 hours. It said that while Bulusan remains at Alert Level 1, the current activity may lead to more steam and ash ejections. The public were reminded not to enter the four-kilometer permanent danger zone. People residing near the valleys and streams should be on extra alert against sediment-laden stream flows in the event of heavy rains, it said.

Ready to help As this developed, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said its Red Cross 143 volunteers, emergency response units and disaster response teams are ready for possible deployment. The PRC National Headquarters also issued reminders on what to do before, during and after a volcanic eruption: * Before a Volcanic Eruption - Stay away from low areas where landslides may occur. - Do not cut trees surrounding the volcano for these will serve as protection from the harmful effects of lahar. - Build temporary but strong shelter or building. Always stand by for updates on volcanic eruption from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). - Keep the first aid kit within easy reach. - Make sure a vehicle can be used to evacuate. * During a Volcanic Eruption - If ash fall occurs, evacuate people with lung diseases to a safer place. Cover your nose with a wet rag. - Stay inside the house or evacuation center. Be cautious, alert and calm if you need to go out. - Stop driving when there is an ash fall as this may obstruct the view and cause accidents. - If the erupting volcano is near the sea, stay away from the shore. A volcanic eruption can also cause tsunami. * For the local government - Strictly prohibit the people from going to areas near the volcanic eruption. - Advise the people to stay in the evacuation center, especially those who have asthma, cough and other similar diseases. * After a volcanic eruption - Go back to your homes only if advised by the barangay captain, PHIVOLCS or your local disaster coordinating council. - The abovementioned guidelines cover the time before a volcanic eruption until it ceases. These do not include preparation for long-term, harmful effects of volcanic deposits and lahar. Low areas and those near the rivers and streams may be prone to lahar. - KBK, GMANews.TV