Mount Taal Eruption, Indonesian Students in the Philippines to Evacuated

Manila, MINA – The Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Philippines is preparing to evacuate Indonesian citizens in the Cavite region following the eruption of the Taal Volcano on Luzon Island on Sunday.

The Director of Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Indonesian Legal Entities, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, said there were 170 Indonesian citizens in the Cavite area, mostly students.

“The Indonesian Embassy in Manila’s Protection Team this morning was in the Cavite area to monitor the situation, coordinate with local authorities and provide assistance to Indonesian citizens. If needed, the team will evacuate Indonesian citizens to the Indonesian Embassy in Manila,” Judha said through written statements to reporters on Monday.

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He said the Indonesian Embassy in Manila had also conveyed an appeal for citizens affected by eruption to raise awareness and follow the direction of local authorities regarding the situation and conditions in the region.

Citizens are encouraged to stay indoors and use masks or wet towels if forced to move outdoors

“If you encounter an emergency situation, you should immediately contact the Indonesian Embassy hotline at 0917 3198470,” Judha said.

The Department of Science and Technology of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported an increase in the eruption level of Mount Taal to an alert level last Sunday.

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Warning level increased from level 3 (magma movement) to level 4 (dangerous eruption coming soon) at 19.02 local time.

The increase in status occurs due to volcanic activity that emits fragments laden with steam-laden as high as 10-15 kilometers accompanied by lightning and wet ash rain in the northern region of Mount Taal. As a result the ash rain impacted into the city of Quezon.

The Philippine authorities have also appealed to residents to evacuate themselves, especially residents around Mount Taal, which is 82 kilometers from Manila.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila even had time to postpone all flights to and from the airport on Sunday due to the situation. (T/Sj/P2)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)