MANILA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The City Council of Tabaco City in Albay province on Luzon island in the Philippines approved the declaration of a state of calamity on Tuesday, following the continued unrest of Mayon Volcano.
City officials said the city has evacuated a total of 489 families, or 1,787 residents, from communities within the volcano's 6-km permanent danger zone. The evacuees are currently staying in designated evacuation centers as volcanic activity continues to pose risks to nearby villages.
Under Philippine law, the declaration of a state of calamity enables local government units to access their quick-response funds and facilitates the release of national disaster assistance.
Since Jan. 6, the volcano has been under Alert Level 3, signaling "a high level of volcanic unrest." According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the volcano has experienced episodic mild magmatic eruptions. ■
