NDRRMC sees Bulusan Volcano evacuees back to homes this week

Residents displaced by Bulusan Volcano’s activity in Sorsogon might be able to return to their homes within the week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Wednesday.

In a media interview, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said uniformed personnel are helping residents with the cleaning of ashes in houses, roads, and vegetation.

“Sa tingin ko baka within the week siguro kasi tuloy-tuloy na yung paglilinis ng mga uniformed services diyan through PNP, BFP, pati yung Army natin and Coast Guard are also helping in the cleanup,” he said.

(I think the evacuees are completely back to their homes within the week because the cleaning is continuous through the PNP, BFP as well as the Army and Coast Guard are also helping in the cleanup.)

Timbal said 406 people or 118 families have evacuated to two evacuation centers in Tughan, Juban due to the activity of the volcano.

According to him, heads of families have been allowed to return and clean their homes.

If most of the areas are already cleared from ashes, Timbal said affected residents would be allowed to return to their houses.

“Sinisigurado lang na malinis yung area para hindi na basta-basta nalalanghap ng mga tao yung abo (We are just ensuring that the area is safe that residents would not inhale ashes.)

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) earlier said that 11 volcanic earthquakes have been recorded in Bulusan Volcano in the past 24 hours.

On Sunday, PHIVOLCS earlier raised the alert status of Bulusan Volcano from 0 (normal) to Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest).

60 families to be relocated

Meanwhile, Timbal disclosed the plan to relocate permanently all 60 families still residing within the four kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) of Bulusan Volcano.

“Ongoing na yung relocation program sa kanila. The local government is having that, kumbaga in progress po, medyo naabutan nga lang sila ngayon,” he said.

(The relocation program is ongoing. The local government is having that, it is in progress. However, they were affected by the incident recently.)

While waiting for the relocation site to be completed, Timbal said there is already an agreement to prohibit the addition of more families residing inside the PDZ.

“Bawal na madagdagan ang mga pamilya dun (PDZ), pwedeng mabawasan but not madagdagan yung 60 families. Kapag may emergency sa volcano ready to move dapat sila anytime, mayroong prepared na assets para makapag-evacuate sila kaagad to safety,” he said.

(It is prohibited to add more families in the PDZ, it may be lowered, but not by more than 60 families. When there is an emergency in the Volcano, they should be ready to move at any time. There’s a prepared asset ready to transport them to safety.)

Further, Timbal said they are highly recommending the evacuation of these 60 families if PHIVOLCS raised the alert status of Bulusan Volcano to Alert Level 2.

“Wala na talagang tao dyan. Aalisin talaga yung mga tao dyan or kapag nagkaroon ng escalation ng, tuloy tuloy yung volcanic activity magaalisan po talaga sila, aalisin by evacuation,” he added.

(There should be no people living there. We will relocate them or if volcanic activities continue we will evacuate them.)

Timbal earlier said that some families residing in a sitio within the danger zone of Bulusan Volcano were “relatively unaffected” by the eruption. — RSJ, GMA News