Following a significant decrease in the alert level of Mayon Volcano, evacuees are set to return to their homes. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology announced the lowering of Mayon’s alert status from Level 3 to Level 2 after nearly six months, indicating reduced volcanic activity. As a result, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has initiated plans to allow over 50 families, who have been staying in evacuation centers for several months, to return to their communities. These families, totaling 195 individuals, have been sheltering in a facility funded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Camalig town.
The return process is being coordinated with local officials in Camalig, as the evacuees originate from areas within the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone of Mayon Volcano. Concurrently, the OCD has moved to a blue alert status, which entails having half of its manpower on standby for heightened monitoring of the volcano, currently experiencing a moderate level of unrest.