Families affected by the ongoing Mayon Volcano unrest have now climbed to 9,571 or equivalent to 37,231 persons, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Wednesday.

This is significantly higher than the 3,876 families reported on Tuesday.

The agency said these affected individuals are residing in 26 barangays in the Bicol Region, it added.

Of these numbers, 4,417 families or 15,502 persons are being aided in 22 evacuation centers while the remainder is being aided outside or being sheltered by relatives and friends.

These figures are subject to change as validation is still ongoing. As of this time, assistance extended to Region 5 amounted to PHP33.64 million.

This consisted of dinner, distilled water in six-liter bottles, family food packs, hygiene kits, hot meals, family and modular tents, sleeping bags, and assorted other items.

Also on standby are 41 search and rescue (SRR) teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Meanwhile, 148 SRR mobility assets from the AFP and BFP, consisting of 17 air, 103 land, and 28 water vehicles, are also on standby as of this time.

LGUs ready for the worst

Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. maintained that the local government units (LGUs) in the affected areas are preparing for the ‘extreme scenario’ even if the volcano remains under Alert level 3 due to magnetic unrest.

In a TV interview on Wednesday, Abalos bared that the LGUs can evacuate 40,000 people within two days once Alert Level 4 is raised in Mayon Volcano.

“Once na mag-Alert Level 4 ito, nag-usap kami ng mga governor (I talked to the governors), they could evacuate up to 40,000, sabi nila (they said), in a span of 48 hours. Magaling ang LGUs ng Albay (The LGUs of Albay are proficient), from the governor to the mayors, I’ve seen it myself,” Abalos said. (PNA)