Residents of 13 Batangas barangays evacuate due to Taal unrest

MANILA – Residents of 13 barangays near the Taal Volcano in Batangas have started to evacuate due to the volcano’s unrest, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Friday said.

Mark Cashean Timbal, NDRRMC deputy spokesperson, said the barangays from six towns are Barangays Poblacion, Sinturisan in San Nicolas; Barangays Gulod, Buso Buso, Bugaan West, Bugaan East in Laurel; Barangays Subic Ilaya, Banyaga, Bilibinwang in Agoncillo; Barangay Apacay in Taal; Barangay Luyos, Boot in Tanauan City; Barangay San Sebastian in Balete.

Citing reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Batangas, Timbal said evacuees from these areas are housed in 11 evacuation centers. The number of affected families is around 345 or around 1,392 individuals.

About 317 families are housed in evacuation centers while those staying outside and sheltering with relatives are 28 families or around 110 individuals.

READ: Phivolcs recommends evacuation as Taal now on Alert Level 3

Meantime, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Friday ordered the deployment of personnel and vehicles to help in the evacuation.

Police commanders were told to coordinate with the local disaster risk reduction and management councils to assist in assessing the needs of residents and ensure their health and safety in evacuation centers.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recommended complete evacuation in some parts of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas as Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) for Taal Volcano was raised Thursday afternoon.

The evacuation was recommended due to possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)