Flood, rocks, and other signs of more danger as rains come
Published Jan 28, 2018 12:05 am
By Aaron B. Recuenco
Guinobatan, Albay – The signs of more danger are in a 20-meter wide gully at Barangay Maninila here. Flowing water had started to rise, carrying with it big rocks. The sound of something like thunder pierced the air.
"Heard that sound? That's the sound of boulders cascading," Municipal disaster officer Henry Ocsinola told the Manila Bulletin.
When the sounds became frequent, he told us: "It's time to go. You have to wrap up your interview. It is no longer safe here."
Ocsinola had been uneasy since we arrived at the gully yesterday where he observed that the water was starting to rise. He had pointed to big rocks that were already being carried by the water.
Ocsinola had been instructed by Guinobatan Mayor Anne Gemma Ongjoco to monitor the situation in the area and to advise the local residents to go to their designated evacuation centers after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology issued a lahar warning at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.
Flood Down Mayon — Rain pours over Mount Mayon on Saturday as residents of Santo Domingo town experience wading through floodwater carrying mud and ash from the slopes of the volcano, which has been spewing magma this past week. (Czar Dancel|Manila Bulletin)
Signs of danger
A few days ago, volcanologist Paul Alanis told the Manila Bulletin that one of the signs of approaching lahar flow are the sounds of boulders hitting one another on its way down the slopes.
"If you hear that sound, you have to evacuate as quickly as possible. That is the sound of boulders cascading down the slopes of the volcano," he said.
Color of floodwater
"I am monitoring the color of the floodwater. If it turns dark brown or black, that means very big trouble," he told the Manila Bulletin in Tagalog.
Ocsinola had every reason to be afraid. He said that was the same color of the water which he had waded in 2006 after typhoon Reming had brought massive lahar flows that left many dead. He has not forgotten how they had retrieved many bodies a few meters from where we stood then.
This time, Ocsinola’s anxiety was not only the lahar flow. He pointed to the big rocks and boulders along the road, especially near the spillway which he said came with the flashflood.
"They all came from the Mayon Volcano," he said.
Danger zone
There were people with us in the gully who said they were also monitoring the water level.
One of them was Glenda Paliza who was waiting for a neighbor to transport her and a daughter to the excavation center. She had gone back to their house in Barangay Maninilato get more clothes for her other children who were already in the evacuation, she told us.
Outside were a few neighbors standing near another gully which she said was where a large volume of lahar flowed in 2006.
"We did not evacuate that time because there was no warning. All of us were surprised but fortunately, nobody from our barangay died," she told the Manila Bulletin.
In 2006, the massive lahar and boulders flowed down to the e low-lying barangays and killed many.
"The entire Barangay Maninila is a lahar and flashflood danger zone. There was already a study that if a huge volume of water similar to that during typhoon Reming, this barangay will be wiped out, will disappear in the map," said Ocsinola.
On the way back to Guinobatan town proper, operators of heavy equipment were seen moving the boulders to higher grounds.
Floodwater in the first gully had also started to rise, meaning, residents living in the middle of the two gullies would be trapped in the event of a massive lahar flow.
The road in Barangay Masarawag heading towards the town proper was already flooded.
Rocks and logs
An hour after the Manila Bulletin left Barangay Maninila, Ocsinola said:" It's good that we already left the place. The floodwater is already high," said Ocsinola.
The other reporters on their way to Barangay Maninila had to turn back due to rising water in the gully. They said that rocks, logs and mud-like floodwater have already started to flow along the river which they viewed from a bridge.
Heavy rains continued to pound Albay as of press time yesterday.
Possible route of lahar
The Phivolcs advisory had specifically identified Barangay Masarawag and Maninila as the possible route of lahar and debris from Mayon Volcano.
The two barangays are also within the danger zone of the Mayon Volcano.
Reluctant to evacuate
Meanwhile, many residents in the danger zones are still hesitant to leave their homes despite strict warnings by authorities. The danger zone has been extended to nine kilometers.
Wilfredo Azul, 60, a resident of Brgy. Mabinit, said that despite the advisories, he still goes back to his house to check if his farm if okay.
Tatay Wilfredo whose house is in the eight-kilometer danger zone in the same barangay, said in the local dialect: My farm is wide and coconut trees are there. We hope the authorities will not make things hard for us. The relief goods are not enough. At present, we still have relief goods, but nothing will be left for us after we consume those. What will happen to us then? That’s our problem here, we are afraid, we want to go home because we cannot just leave our sources of income.”
Manny, 28, a resident of Brgy. Matnog in Daraga town, said the military and police go house to house to advice residents to evacuate.
Manny and his family were evacuated to a safer place in Barangay Anislag, Daraga, Albay.
“Our place is I think in the seven-kilometer danger area. Almost everyone has evacuated. This bakery is still open because it is still safe. We still have customers, the ones who are still here. We also sell some in evacuation centers. So far, our income is still good. We cannot close this because this is our source of income. We cannot bring this to the evacuation center,” he said.
Wilma Nebrez, 47 of Barangay Quirangay, Camalig, Albay said her husband was left at home to secure their property.
“We cannot just leave the farm animals. Despite the risk, we still have to take care of them. Who will feed the carabaos and wash them because they are covered with ashes,” she said in the local dialect. (With a report from Niño N. Luces)
Flood Down Mayon — Rain pours over Mount Mayon on Saturday as residents of Santo Domingo town experience wading through floodwater carrying mud and ash from the slopes of the volcano, which has been spewing magma this past week. (Czar Dancel|Manila Bulletin)
Signs of danger
A few days ago, volcanologist Paul Alanis told the Manila Bulletin that one of the signs of approaching lahar flow are the sounds of boulders hitting one another on its way down the slopes.
"If you hear that sound, you have to evacuate as quickly as possible. That is the sound of boulders cascading down the slopes of the volcano," he said.
Color of floodwater
"I am monitoring the color of the floodwater. If it turns dark brown or black, that means very big trouble," he told the Manila Bulletin in Tagalog.
Ocsinola had every reason to be afraid. He said that was the same color of the water which he had waded in 2006 after typhoon Reming had brought massive lahar flows that left many dead. He has not forgotten how they had retrieved many bodies a few meters from where we stood then.
This time, Ocsinola’s anxiety was not only the lahar flow. He pointed to the big rocks and boulders along the road, especially near the spillway which he said came with the flashflood.
"They all came from the Mayon Volcano," he said.
Danger zone
There were people with us in the gully who said they were also monitoring the water level.
One of them was Glenda Paliza who was waiting for a neighbor to transport her and a daughter to the excavation center. She had gone back to their house in Barangay Maninilato get more clothes for her other children who were already in the evacuation, she told us.
Outside were a few neighbors standing near another gully which she said was where a large volume of lahar flowed in 2006.
"We did not evacuate that time because there was no warning. All of us were surprised but fortunately, nobody from our barangay died," she told the Manila Bulletin.
In 2006, the massive lahar and boulders flowed down to the e low-lying barangays and killed many.
"The entire Barangay Maninila is a lahar and flashflood danger zone. There was already a study that if a huge volume of water similar to that during typhoon Reming, this barangay will be wiped out, will disappear in the map," said Ocsinola.
On the way back to Guinobatan town proper, operators of heavy equipment were seen moving the boulders to higher grounds.
Floodwater in the first gully had also started to rise, meaning, residents living in the middle of the two gullies would be trapped in the event of a massive lahar flow.
The road in Barangay Masarawag heading towards the town proper was already flooded.
Rocks and logs
An hour after the Manila Bulletin left Barangay Maninila, Ocsinola said:" It's good that we already left the place. The floodwater is already high," said Ocsinola.
The other reporters on their way to Barangay Maninila had to turn back due to rising water in the gully. They said that rocks, logs and mud-like floodwater have already started to flow along the river which they viewed from a bridge.
Heavy rains continued to pound Albay as of press time yesterday.
Possible route of lahar
The Phivolcs advisory had specifically identified Barangay Masarawag and Maninila as the possible route of lahar and debris from Mayon Volcano.
The two barangays are also within the danger zone of the Mayon Volcano.
Reluctant to evacuate
Meanwhile, many residents in the danger zones are still hesitant to leave their homes despite strict warnings by authorities. The danger zone has been extended to nine kilometers.
Wilfredo Azul, 60, a resident of Brgy. Mabinit, said that despite the advisories, he still goes back to his house to check if his farm if okay.
Tatay Wilfredo whose house is in the eight-kilometer danger zone in the same barangay, said in the local dialect: My farm is wide and coconut trees are there. We hope the authorities will not make things hard for us. The relief goods are not enough. At present, we still have relief goods, but nothing will be left for us after we consume those. What will happen to us then? That’s our problem here, we are afraid, we want to go home because we cannot just leave our sources of income.”
Manny, 28, a resident of Brgy. Matnog in Daraga town, said the military and police go house to house to advice residents to evacuate.
Manny and his family were evacuated to a safer place in Barangay Anislag, Daraga, Albay.
“Our place is I think in the seven-kilometer danger area. Almost everyone has evacuated. This bakery is still open because it is still safe. We still have customers, the ones who are still here. We also sell some in evacuation centers. So far, our income is still good. We cannot close this because this is our source of income. We cannot bring this to the evacuation center,” he said.
Wilma Nebrez, 47 of Barangay Quirangay, Camalig, Albay said her husband was left at home to secure their property.
“We cannot just leave the farm animals. Despite the risk, we still have to take care of them. Who will feed the carabaos and wash them because they are covered with ashes,” she said in the local dialect. (With a report from Niño N. Luces)