Massive destruction
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 10:03:46 +0000
AN aerial view shows buildings covered in ash from the eruption of the Taal Volcano, in the village of Buso Buso, near Laurel, Batangas on Friday, January 17, 2020. (AFP)
Collapsed houses due to the unbearable weight of ash fall, withering vegetations, and dead animals were just some of the devastations observed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) following the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas.
NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad assessed the extent of the damage of Taal eruption, particularly on Taal island, when he led an aerial reconnaissance of the area with disaster response and military officials.
“The damage to the vegetation and houses in Taal island is massive. Even in the lakeshore areas, especially in the west and northwest side of the volcano. Some houses collapsed due to the heavy ash fall,” he said.
“As we go farther from the lake, hindi na ganoon kalaki ‘yung damage, mostly sa ash fall lang. Almost all houses were covered with ash,” he added.
About 100 cows were also spotted on Taal island with some of them still enduring the effects of the ash fall, while others have already died.
Jalad said coordination was made with officials to rescue the animals.
On their way back, Jalad said Taal spewed a plume of black smoke, indicating that Taal’s volcanic activity was ongoing.
Brig. Gen. Kit Teofilo, commander of Joint Task Group (JTG) Taal, said the 14-kilometer radius danger zone remains on a lockdown to prevent residents from going back.
“If the Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) and PDRRMC (Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) say that the volcano has died down and the residents can go back, then we go but as of now, we can’t (allow residents to go back). Just because the volcano has calmed down a bit it doesn’t mean it won’t erupt. We don’t know what will happen,” Teofilo said.
The JTG Taal, composed of Army, Navy, and Air Force officers with some Coast Guard personnel, were conducting rescue operations in areas where there are still trapped residents.
LOCKDOWN
Police are securing the areas where a lockdown is being implemented to prevent the residents from returning to their houses within the 14-kilometer danger zone.
Some residents reportedly argued with the authorities as they were insisting to go back to their houses to check on their belongings and animals they left behind.
But Teofilo appealed for understanding as Alert Level 4 remains over Taal, which means a hazardous threat is possible within days.
“As much as possible, what we are doing are preventive measures to protect the residents. They may appeal to the police and we allow some to return, we even accompany them just to make sure they can go back safely,” he said.
“We also want to make sure that they would go to their houses. What we’re trying to avoid is the looting just like what happens in other disaster areas before. There are reports of looting reaching us,” he noted.
DONATIONS
Meanwhile, Jalad appealed to the donors to coordinate with the NDRRMC, Office of Civil Defense, or the Batangas PDRRMC to make sure that their donations are brought to those who need it the most.
“We are organizing the response of the government and the volunteers so that we can avoid underserving or overserving. We encourage the donors to check in their resources to the provincial DRRM office or with OCD regional office, even by phone,” he said.
The NDRRMC, in an advisory, said evacuees need bottled water, food, tents and shelter materials, medicines (preferably anti-hypertension, cough remedies, anti-histamine, and anti-vertigo), sleeping kits, N95 masks, nebulizer kits, hygiene kits, and portalets.
The donations may be coordinated through the OCD-NDRRM Operations Center at 0917-827-5743; Department of Social Welfare and Development National Resource Operations Center at 0905-342-7647 for in-kind donations, and 0915-202-8009 for cash and foreign donations; Batangas PDRRM office at 0928-344-3055, 0915-310-4230; 0942-807-1853; and (043) 706-88-70.
More details can be found on the official website and social media accounts of the NDRRMC.
The NDRRMC chief said that donors who have pre-determined areas where they want to relay their aid may also do arrangements with the said government agencies.
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