Thousands were forced to flee their homes in Batangas province as authorities raised the alert over Taal Volcano after it spewed boiling water and magma.
Residents in thirteen villages in different towns were evacuated as of Friday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Eleven evacuation centers are currently occupied, it added.
In the town of Laurel, some 4,000 residents had to be evacuated according to its mayor Joan Amo.
"Matagal na po namin itong pinaghandaan, halo isang taon po mula nung unang pagputok niya," she said in an interview with Teleradyo on Friday.
The mayor appealed for medical-grade face masks for locals due to the volcanic smog and for prioritization in COVID-19 vaccination since residents are usually forced to evacuate and contact tracing efforts are difficult.
"Sana po ay ma-priority ang mga kagaya naming bayan dahil from time to time kailangan po namin mag-evacuate dahil hindi po talaga namin masabi ang bulkan. Sana po ay ma-priority kami sa COVID vaccination para sa ganun eh hindi na po namin kailangan mangamba," she said.
Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas and Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla on Thursday both assured their respective provinces of enough food supply following the evacuation efforts.
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 indicating magmatic unrest on Thursday, one notch higher from Level 2 (increasing unrest). The highest warning, Level 5, indicates that an eruption is ongoing.
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