SORSOGON CITY, May 7 (PIA) – Following Bulusan volcano showing unrest, the Department of Education (DepEd) division office here has activated its disaster risk reduction management team to help respond to emergencies that may arise due to threats of volcanic eruption and the impending typhoon that may trigger lahar flows in low lying areas.
DepEd Sorsogon schools division superintendent Danilo Despi personally conducted earlier today on site inspection in Barangay Inlagadian in Casiguran town to prepare classrooms and school facilities in anticipation of evacuation measures that may be carried out by the local disaster risk reduction authorities in the wake of the threats of eruption and severe weather system.
Despi also directed officials at the Gallanosa National High School (GNHS) in Irosin town to implement precautionary measures and be ready to accommodate evacuees from barangays located within the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) of Buslusan volcano if the unrest worsens or with the threats of lahar flows.
Barangays Inlagadian in Casiguran town, Cogon and Mapaso in Irosin, and San Roque in Bulusan are located within the 4-kilometer PDZ of the volcano.
Some 5,717 individuals are residing in these barangays, including San Roque with 2,264; Inlagadian with 1,319; Cogon with 1,120 and Mapaso with 1,014.
“The Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committees of DepEd, headed by their respective principals, are immediately activated and convene in these times of impending disasters. Primarily, the committee implements measures relative to evacuation of affected residents utilizing classrooms and school facilities for shelter and subsistence," Despi noted.
Resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta of PhiVolcs stated during the Sorsogon PDRRMC full council meeting today that Barangay Cogon in Irosin is the most vulnerable area to lahar flow from Bulusan volcano wherein in the previous years suffered this same fate from similar disaster.
“A 15-millimeter per hour rainfall is enough to trigger lahar flow,” Laguerta said.
Laguerta also warned that lahar flows may reach Cadac-an River traversing Irosin and Juban that threathen low lying communities near the channel.
“Cadac-an River is already silted and the presence of the breached dike makes the areas surrounding which vulnerable," he added.
Laguerta further cautioned the public that the volcanic ash explosions may bring threats of respiratory illnesses that is why wearing protective masks among residents is a must.
Sorsogon PDRRMO Geographic Information and Mapping Division chief Joefel Lopez relayed that the impending typhoon Dodong which will be closest to Bicol by weekend may bring heavy to intense rains amounting to 200-250 millimeters per hour in areas within its 300 kilometer diameter.
Sorsogon PDRRMO chief Raden Dimaano meanwhile added that coordinations were made with the Philippine Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion based in Rangas, Juban on the pre-emptive evacuation measures for residents that may be affected. (MAL/BAR/JJJPerez-DepEdSor-PIA5/Sorsogon)