THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) announced it will build additional evacuation centers in Batangas to boost the province's disaster preparedness efforts.

The announcement came as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Taal Volcano continues to show signs of magmatic unrest, with volcanic earthquakes and tremors, coupled by high levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions and steam-rich plumes.

Phivolcs continues to place the volcano under Alert Level 3 or "magmatic unrest."

In its 8 a.m. Volcano Bulletin issued last Sunday, Phivolcs said the Taal Volcano Network recorded 74 volcanic earthquakes, including 13 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and 61 volcanic tremors.

Some of these volcanic tremors lasted for 1 to 25 minutes.

The volcano's main crater also spewed high levels of SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose 1,000 meters before drifting west-northwest and southwest, the Phivolcs said.

From July 10 to July 11, SO2 emission averaged 6,488 tonnes per day.

Power plants

MEANWHILE, last Sunday Makati City Rep. Luis N. Campos Jr. urged the power sector in Batangas to adopt risk mitigation and disaster recovery plans to minimize disruptions if a violent eruption occurs in Taal Volcano.

Campos said in a statement that the stability of the Luzon grid's power supply might be threatened by an "ashfall disaster."

According to the lawmaker, Talisay is only 38 kilometers away from Batangas City, which is home to five large power plants that supply a combined 3,286 megawatts (MW) to the Luzon grid.

These include natural gas and several geothermal, coal and biomass power plants.

"We would urge them to adopt risk mitigation and disaster recovery plans to minimize disruptions and to quickly restart operations should temporary stoppages become unavoidable," Campos said.

"Our worry is volcanic ashfall, which could pose a hazard to Luzon's power infrastructure, considering the high concentration of power plants in nearby Batangas City and the Municipality of Calaca," he added.

The northern half of the volcano island forms part of the Municipality of Talisay in Batangas province.

Campos noted that Calaca, which is only 29 kilometers away from Talisay, is home to six other power plants that supply an additional 1,100 MW.

"The entire power sector from generation, transmission to distribution should brace for the worst-case scenario wherein they might be overwhelmed by ashfall," Campos said.

"They should have operational plans that will enable them to run their critical functions, including maintenance work, even with ashfall," the lawmaker added.

Evacuation hubs

THE DHSUD said two more evacuation facilities will be built in the municipalities of Santa Teresita and Alitagtag.

The DHSUD said the groundbreaking for the facilities occurred over a month after the signing of the Taal Commitment Agreement between the DHSUD and Batangas local government units (LGUs) affected by last year's volcanic eruption.

"This is a very important project, especially for Batangas, because the Taal (Volcano) will always be like that. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Kaya itong evacuation center ay kailangang maitayo [So this evacuation center needs to be built] because it will be used as long as it (Taal) still stands." DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario said. "I hope this building will provide shelter to evacuees for at least 50 years; so kailangan ang standard mapanatili natin [we need to maintain the standard]."

Under the agreement between DHSUD and the Batangas LGU, three evacuation centers will be built by the DHSUD in the province.

Apart from Santa Teresita and Alitagtag, another evacuation site will be built in Mataasnakahoy, which is intended for families displaced by the eruption of Taal last year.

Groundbreaking

THE groundbreaking for the evacuation facility to be built in Mataasnakahoy was conducted two weeks ago. The facility will be used by families displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano last year.

The DHSUD said the sites were deemed suitable locations for the facilities following a thorough assessment conducted by the DHSUD Regional Office 4A and other concerned government agencies.

"What we are doing now is actually part of the preparation for the long-term. Kasi hindi naman ang bulkan ay paminsan-minsan lang (sumabog) or isa o dalawa sa isang taon. It will continue to be there and might explode anytime," the housing czar said.

Del Rosario said he instructed DHSUD Regional Office 4A Director Jann Roby Otero to conduct regular inspections "to ensure only the best standard for the facility situated in Barangay Calayaan."

Bursts, tremors

WHILE the volcano was relatively calm on Saturday with just 8 volcanic earthquakes being recorded by the Taal Volcano Network, the volcano showed imminent sign of danger on Friday, with a series of 5 short phreatomagmatic bursts occurring 6:30 to 3 a.m. the following day.

On Friday, Phivolcs reported that it recorded a total of 58 volcanic earthquakes, and 27 short-lived volcanic tremor events.

The SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes from the main crater on Friday rose 1,200 meters before drifting northwest.  SO2 emission averaged 6,095 tonnes last July 8.

At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the main crater could drive explosive eruption.

The Phivolcs maintained that the entire Taal Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and entry into the island as well as into the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel must be prohibited due to the hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami should strong eruptions occur.

"All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time. Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify," Phivolcs said.

Meanwhile, civil aviation authorities are advised to prohibit flying over Taal Volcano Island as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and pyroclastic density currents such as base surges may pose hazards to aircraft.

Read full article on BusinessMirror