LIST: Areas tagged safe for return as Taal status downgraded to Alert Level 3
MANILA, Philippines — As state volcanology bureau Phivolcs lowers their cautionary status for Taal Volcano from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3, previously displaced residents in a number of areas now have the option to return to their homes and places of work, the Provincial Government of Batangas confirmed on Sunday morning.
Alert Level 4 meant that a volcanic eruption was possible within hours to days while Alert Level 3 means a "decreased tendency towards hazardous eruption." Phivolcs was careful to clarify, however, that the risk of volcanic eruption was still very much present.
Here is a list of areas within the province which are safe for return, according to a bulletin issued by the Batangas Public Information Office.
Areas open at the option of residents:
- Alitagtag
- Balete
- Cuenca
- Lemery
- Lipa City
- Malvar
- Mataas na Kahoy
- San Nicolas
- Sta. Teresa
- Taal
- Talisay
- Tanauan City
Areas still on lockdown
- Agoncillo
- Laurel
Areas on permanent lockdown
- Volcano Island
Bulletin No. 2#TaalVocano Eruption 2020
— Batangas PIO Capitol (@batspiocapitol) January 26, 2020
26 January 2020, 8:00 AM#BatangasMagiting pic.twitter.com/KT8bznfsBH
The issuance came shortly after a Phivolcs bulletin issued 8 a.m. Sunday confirmed the lowering of the alert level, while the National Disaster Risk Response and Management Council recorded some 98,000 families or 376,000 persons in the Calabarzon region who were affected by Taal's unrest.
LIST: Where you can donate for Taal Volcano relief efforts
Some 135,365 of them were taking temporary shelter in 497 evacuation centers while 168,569 were "served outside evacuation centers."
Batangas' provincial government in their bulletin also warned of the likelihood of lahar during rainfall. They also cautioned citizens of the continuing hazards that ashfall may bring.
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