Shillong, June 19: At least 628 individuals have become ill after being displaced by the eruption of the Mayon Volcano, the most active volcano in the Philippines.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that evacuees, ranging from 2 to 64 years old, have experienced various illnesses, including coughs, colds, fever, gastroenteritis, acute respiratory infection, and skin diseases.
The eruption, which began on June 8, has affected approximately 39,000 people, as documented by the disaster management agency. Local authorities have carried out evacuations of over 20,000 residents living within the danger zone surrounding the picturesque, cone-shaped Mayon Volcano located in Albay province, about 500 km southeast of Manila, the Philippine capital.
To accommodate the displaced individuals, the province has established 28 evacuation centers, primarily utilizing school classrooms. Albay province has declared a state of calamity due to the eruption.
On Monday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported the occurrence of pyroclastic flows from the volcano’s collapsed lava domes, lasting approximately three minutes. Plumes filled with steam rose to a height of 600 meters. The institute has maintained the volcano’s alert level at 3 on a scale of 5.
Mayon Volcano’s previous eruption took place in 2018, resulting in the evacuation of over 23,000 individuals from nine cities and municipalities.
