THE NEWS DATELINER

Albay residents gear for preemptive evacuation anew
By Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY—-Social welfare officials on Friday readied its stockpile of rice and food items in Albay province should disaster executives order another round of preemptive evacuation after a heavy volume of rain the previous day caused rivers to swell and scientists reiterating their off-limits warning to residents in the danger zones on Mayon Volcano's southeast flank.

Volunteers at the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office targetted 1,000 relief sacks in case of more rains during the remaining three typhoon months of the year.

Relief goods were repackaged with help from police personnel from Camp Simeon Ola in the city who volunteered their help.

“Relief goods equivalent to five kilos of rice are standard packages for emergency help to evacuees to encourage residents to leave their dwellings and be safe from threats of lahar so they could fully cooperate with the province's zero-casualty goals,” said Albay Governor and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council Chairman Joey Salceda.

“We have recorded a 5.5 millimeter rain volume yesterday (Thursday) morning. Fortunately, the rain slowed down several times, giving a bit of time for the overflowing rivers to subside,” said Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.

Daep added that the initial result of the monitoring, which started Thursday, revealed river swelling along the Bicol River basin extending from Guinobatan town to Lake Bato traversing Ligao City, and the towns of Oas, Polangui and Libon—-all in Albay .

The ‘Anoling Gully’ facing Camalig cascades its volcanic debris from previous eruptions of Mayon towards the Anoling River passing through Barangay Salugan down to Camalig proper but it overflowed because of high siltation at the back of the PEO-Albay. Clearing of this portion is being taken care of the PEO and the LGU of Camalig.

On the other hand, the Buyuan-Padang River whose origin is the Bonga Gully along the slope of Mayon Volcano is also affecting the road network towards the first district of Albay including the city of Tabaco. Its clearing operation is being undertaken by the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which is committed to the Albay’s zero-casualty efforts.

Daep said he has fielded a monitoring team to verify other river channels along the volcano's slopes that could cause massive lahar floods in the event of another heavy and continuous downpour.

Provincial Engineer Dante Baclao told Apsemo that Thursday morning's continuous rains dumped a one-kilometer stretch of mud, rubbles, gravel and sand along the Nuyday Avenue, the portion of the main road in Camalig town.

The provincial government spent around P1.2 million, when typhoon 'Santi' along with hazards from Mayon, hit Albay.

There were 14,146 persons or 2,725 families evacuated when the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) declared Albay under Signal Number 2 during during 'Santi's' course in Albay. (RMN)