Remaining Mayon evacuees sent home

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Albay Gov. Joey Salceda on Friday sent home the remaining 11,712 evacuees after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) observed a decline in Mayon Volcano’s activity.

The decampment followed after Phivolcs lowered the alert level from three to two. Salceda said a re-evacuation would be implemented once Phivolcs would raise the alert level anew.

He said the province would need at least P360 million to relocate residents living within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone.

The evacuees who were sent home on Friday were part of the 17,622 families or 54,070 individuals living within six-to-eight kilometer danger zones, who have been evacuated from August to November this year.

Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs-Bicol chief, said for the past three weeks the volcano’s seismic activity declined to an average of two to three daily.

Since Oct. 19, no new lava flow has been observed at the crater and no crater glow has been recorded since Nov. 28.

“The decline in the observable parameters at the summit is consistent with the cessation of magma supply to the shallow level of the volcanic edifice,” said Laguerta.

Meanwhile, Phivolcs has recorded a single rockfall at the volcano within 24 hours after the alert level was lowered.

In a bulletin issued yesterday, Phivolcs said rain clouds covered the summit, which made visual observations difficult for the agency.

Phivolcs said ground deformation indicated that magma is stalled deep beneath the northern flanks of the volcano.

The agency said the lowering of the alert level should not be interpreted that the volcano’s unrest has come to an end.

It said the alert level may be upgraded once Mayon shows signs of abnormal activity anew.