MANILA - The town of Camalig, Albay will evacuate residents Friday as the nearby Mayon Volcano continues to show signs of unrest.
"Nagpe-prepare na po tayo. May coordination na po tayo sa Department of Social Welfare and Development para sa food packs nila po," Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo on Thursday night.
Baldo advised evacuees to prepare their things, saying that evacuation within the 7-kilometer radius of Mayon Volcano may affect 3,000 families in 6 villages.
"Kailangan po nila i-prepare 'yung mga gamit po nila kasi itong Mayon, 45 to 90 days ang evacuation nito. Kasi imo-monitor pa po natin, depende sa magiging activities niyan. Ganoon kahaba ang pangangalaga dito sa mga evacuees natin," he said.
Baldo noted local government funds are lacking to help affected residents for a long period, adding the present food supply is not also enough for them.
"Umaasa tayo na tutulungan tayo ng (national government)," he said.
The mayor also asked for supplies such as infant milk, medicine, and face masks. He said donations can be sent to local government or distributed directly to residents.
Mayon was earlier placed on Alert Level 3, signaling that it is now on an increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption. The raising of its status came just days after Phivolcs placed it under Alert Level 2 because of increasing unrest.
When Alert Level 3 was raised over Mayon, Phivolcs said the volcano was already in an “effusive magmatic eruption.”
According to state volcanologists, this type of eruption is “dominated by the outpouring of lava onto the ground.”