NDRRMC says 90K families affected by Taal unrest

FILE: The evacuation center at the compound of the Old Tanauan City Hall houses hundreds of locals affected by the recent eruption of the Taal Volcano on Friday (Jan. 17, 2020). The Quezon City government has provided the evacuees with modular cubicle tents. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — The continuing unrest of the Taal Volcano has so far displaced 90,533 families.

As of 6 a.m. Saturday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said this is equivalent to a total of 348,563 residents of the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon.

Of this number, 37,445 families or 137,994 persons were still being sheltered in 488 evacuation centers while the remaining were said to be taking shelter with relatives and friends.

Meanwhile, the amount of assistance extended by the departments of social welfare and health has now reached PHP27,056,685.01.

As of 5 a.m. Saturday, Taal Volcano had weak to moderate emission of white steam-laden plumes 100 meters to 800 meters high from the main crater while its sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 409 tons per day.

Six volcanic earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1.

5 to 2.3, which were not felt, were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Alert Level 4 remains in effect over Taal Volcano as its seismic activity indicates magmatic intrusion beneath its edifice, which may lead to a hazardous eruption.