The scope of the recent Mayon Volcano eruptions has displaced more people than in previous volcanic episodes, read on to find out how you can help:
Since the tremors and lava flows last January 14, Mayon volcano in Albay has continued to show progressive unrest. The Philippine Institution of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) has since raised the alert level to 4 (in a scale of 5) warning of a hazardous eruption imminent in a few days. Local government units have thus been prompted to evacuate an estimated 2,000 families (close to 10,000 people) from 8-9 kilometre danger zones.
The latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) estimate that 89,000 individuals, including 39,000 school-aged children, or a total of 22,885 families have been affected. Conditions across the 74 official evacuation centres have always been difficult. As such, various non-government organisations, such as World Vision Philippines have since been at the forefront of the crisis.
The last threatening volcanic activities near Mayon occurred in November 2014, affecting around 15,000 people for a month. This time however, the duration of the lava flows and tremors are expected to increase, prompting the organisation to prepare kits containing bath and laundry soaps, toothpaste and brushes, sanitary packs, nailcutters, underclothes, and blankets. Non-food essentials such as mosquito nets, blanket and mat, face masks, and drinking water have also been prepared.
“Life in the evacuation center is difficult but we are used to this situation. We’d rather be here than be buried in lava or get killed by rolling big rocks,” Genevieve Moya, a 55-year-old evacuee, shared. She is also one of the evacuees in the 2014 Mayon eruption.
