Volcano evacuees in Philippines begin returning to ash-caked homes
MANILA — Philippine authorities lowered the alert level at Taal Volcano on Sunday, two weeks after it began spewing ash, steam and rocks, a move that will allow many of the more than 376,000 displaced villagers to return home.
A popular tourist destination just south of Manila because of its picturesque setting in the middle of a lake, Taal erupted on Jan. 12. It caused no known deaths but created an evacuation crisis for one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.
“Taal volcano’s condition in the two weeks … has generally declined into less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, decelerated ground deformation … and weak steam and gas emissions at the main crater,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The government’s agency lowered the alert level from 4 to 3, which means there’s a “decreased tendency toward a hazardous eruption.” The highest level-5 alert indicates a major and much more dangerous eruption.
The agency also reduced to half the danger zone where residents have to be evacuated, from the 8.7-mile radius around the volcano. Taal last erupted 43 years ago.
“We have to be careful of Taal because of the danger it may still bring, so at the lower level, there should be heightened preparedness. People should brace for rapid evacuation,” said Renato Solidum, the head of the institute.
Mayor Daniel Reyes of Agoncillo, a town along the western shore of Taal Lake overlooking the island where the volcano lies, said he was relieved but remained concerned. Residents of Agoncillo and nearby Laurel could still not return home because of the towns’ proximity to the volcano. Thousands of villagers who used to reside and work on Volcano Island will not be allowed to return permanently, Batangas Gov. Hermilando...