Some Mayon evacuees allowed to go home

LEGAZPI CITY — More than 850 families, which were forced to flee their homes when volcanologists raised alert level 4 around Mayon Volcano, have been allowed to return home.

Cedric Daep, chief of the provincial disaster management office, said the evacuees reside in villages facing no imminent threat.

Daep said the number of evacuees has swelled after residents of barangays not included in the "must evacuate" list have gone to the various evacuation centers, some of them apparently lured by the relief assistance.

Volcanologist Ed Laguerta said they have in fact recommended to Albay officials to allow evacuees whose villages "are not under immediate threat even if the volcano erupts anytime" to return home.

Daep said those excluded from the "must evacuate" list are Barangays Tumpa in Camalig town, Salvacion in Daraga, and Buang, Nagsipit and San Fernando in Sto. Domingo.

During the past 24-hour observation period, Mayon has renewed its lava extrusion, indicating that its "abnormality is still continuing," Laguerta said.

"We are still going to reassess the overall status of Mayon after a week," he said. — Celso Amo and Cet Dematera