Philippines Lowers Volcano Alert; Thousands Return
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine authorities on Sunday lowered the alert level at Taal Volcano, two weeks after it began spewing ash, steam and rocks, a move that will allow many of the more than 376,000 displaced villagers to return home.
A popular tourist destination just south of Manila because of its picturesque setting in the middle of a lake, Taal erupted on Jan. 12. It caused no known deaths but delivered an early crisis this year for one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.
"Taal volcano’s condition in the two weeks ... has generally declined into less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, decelerated ground deformation ... and weak steam and gas emissions at the main crater,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The government’s agency lowered the alert level from 4 to 3, which means there’s a "decreased tendency toward a hazardous eruption.” The highest level-5 alert indicates a major and much more dangerous eruption.
The agency also reduced to half the danger zone where residents have to be evacuated, from the 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) radius around the volcano. Taal had last erupted 43 years ago.
"We have to be careful of Taal because of the danger it may still bring, so at the lower level, there should be heightened preparedness. People should brace for rapid evacuation,” Renato Solidum, the head of the institute, said in a televised news conference.
Mayor Daniel Reyes of Agoncillo, a town along the western shores of Taal Lake overlooking the island where the volcano lies, said he was relieved but remained concerned. Residents of Agoncillo and nearby Laurel could still not return home because of the towns’ proximity to the volcano. Thousands of villagers who used to reside and work on Volcano Island will not be allowed to return permanently, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said.
Mandanas warned returning villagers to assess the safety of their villages and houses, many of which remained blanketed by volcanic ash or had been damaged by the eruption and earthquakes.
"It’s somehow a relief but we’re still under a total lockdown,” Reyes told The Associated Press, adding all the 44,000 villagers of his town will remain in evacuation centers.
Footage showed thousands of elated villagers yelling "thank you” as they drove back in droves to their still-dusty towns and cities on board motorcycles, motorcycle taxis and some cars.
More than 376,000 people fled to safety from ash-blanketed towns and cities in hard-hit Batangas province.
A popular tourist destination just south of Manila because of its picturesque setting in the middle of a lake, Taal erupted on Jan. 12. It caused no known deaths but delivered an early crisis this year for one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.
"Taal volcano’s condition in the two weeks ... has generally declined into less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, decelerated ground deformation ... and weak steam and gas emissions at the main crater,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The government’s agency lowered the alert level from 4 to 3, which means there’s a "decreased tendency toward a hazardous eruption.” The highest level-5 alert indicates a major and much more dangerous eruption.
The agency also reduced to half the danger zone where residents have to be evacuated, from the 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) radius around the volcano. Taal had last erupted 43 years ago.
"We have to be careful of Taal because of the danger it may still bring, so at the lower level, there should be heightened preparedness. People should brace for rapid evacuation,” Renato Solidum, the head of the institute, said in a televised news conference.
Mayor Daniel Reyes of Agoncillo, a town along the western shores of Taal Lake overlooking the island where the volcano lies, said he was relieved but remained concerned. Residents of Agoncillo and nearby Laurel could still not return home because of the towns’ proximity to the volcano. Thousands of villagers who used to reside and work on Volcano Island will not be allowed to return permanently, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said.
Mandanas warned returning villagers to assess the safety of their villages and houses, many of which remained blanketed by volcanic ash or had been damaged by the eruption and earthquakes.
"It’s somehow a relief but we’re still under a total lockdown,” Reyes told The Associated Press, adding all the 44,000 villagers of his town will remain in evacuation centers.
Footage showed thousands of elated villagers yelling "thank you” as they drove back in droves to their still-dusty towns and cities on board motorcycles, motorcycle taxis and some cars.
More than 376,000 people fled to safety from ash-blanketed towns and cities in hard-hit Batangas province.