Over 1,000 people evacuated in Batangas after Taal's explosion —NDRRMC

A total of 1,282 individuals or 317 families are staying in evacuation centers on Friday after Taal Volcano erupted on Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

But the number could balloon to as many as 14,495 people or 3,523 families due to the risk of the volcano’s ongoing activity, the NDRRMC pointed out.

Based on the agency's 5 a.m. report on Friday, a total of 1,392 individuals or 345 families were affected by the explosion, including the 110 people or 28 families staying outside evacuation centers. The rest were being accommodated in 11 evacuation centers.

“The volcano island is of course off-limits and the high risk brgys nman po are being evacuated by the local government units based on the recommendation of PHIVOLCS,” NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal told reporters in a message.

Around 13 barangays in Batangas were affected by the explosion, including Poblacion and Sinturisan in San Nicolas; Gulod, Buso Buso, Bugaan West, and Bugaan East in Laurel; Subic Ilaya, Banyaga, and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo; Apacay in Taal; Luyos and Boot in Tanauan City; and San Sebastian in Balete.

Timbal said the local government of Agoncillo started evacuation activities at 5 p.m. on Thursday. The local government of Laurel also evacuated residents from high-risk barangays.

Forced evacuation

Police Brigadier General Eliseo Cruz of Police Regional Office 4A (PRO4A) said forced evacuation was conducted in five barangays in Batangas.

Cruz said the protocol on provincial level will be followed temporarily in response to the eruption and ongoing activity of the volcano. He said this was agreed upon during an emergency meeting convened by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 4-A. on Thursday.

“In said meeting, the protocol on ‘provincial level’ will be observed temporarily with Batangas Provincial DRRMO as lead office with 5 coastal barangays directed to initiate forced evacuation,” Cruz said.

P12M worth of aid

Malacañang, meanwhile, said the government has allotted P1 million worth of food and P11 million worth of non-food items to aid residents affected by the eruption.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the aid will be provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 4A, which is now on heightened alert.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Taal after the phreatomagmatic eruptions that occurred in Taal Volcano," Roque said in a statement.

Roque assured the public that local government units are leading the efforts on the ground through their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices with the support of counterparts in line agencies.

PNP, AFP assistance

In a statement, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Guillermo Elezar said he ordered their local offices to deploy many PNP vehicles and personnel to assist the evacuation.

“Our police commanders were also instructed to coordinate with the local DRRMCs not only for the evacuation of the affected residents but also in the assessment of their needs as well as ensuring the health and safety at the evacuation centers,” he said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson  Major General Edgard Arevalo said personnel, vehicles, and equipment initially from 2nd Infantry Division and the Philippine Air Force’s 730th Combat Group  were deployed to various affected municipalities.

AFP’s Joint Task Group Taal, led by Brigadier General Rommel Tello, is closely coordinating with concerned mayors for the needed assistance, Arevalo said.

“At 10 p.m. last night, JTG Taal assisted the residents of the municipalities of Laurel and Agoncilo in the conduct of preventive evacuation,” Arevalo said in a separate statement.

“In Laurel, the evacuees are being brought to upland areas of said municipality and designated evacuation areas in Nasugbu, Batangas,” he added.

The 2nd Infantry Division prepositioned two military trucks and a towable fuel in Nasugbu, Batangas.

“We are prepared to assist and to assume the lead with the PNP when needed” Arevalo said.

Eruption

PHIVOLCS said a short-lived phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at Taal's main crater on Thursday afternoon and generated a dark grayish plume that rose 1,000 meters.

It was followed by four short phreatomagmatic bursts at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m., and 8:20 p.m. that lasted not longer than two minutes, producing plumes of up to 200 meters above the main crater lake.

As of Friday morning, Alert Level 3 remained over the Taal Volcano, which means magma extruding from the main crater could drive an explosive eruption.  —KBK, GMA News