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Fire under our feet: As fissures widen, Batangas fears dwindling aid supply

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/reuters/01/17/20200115-philippines-volcano-taal.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents affected by the Taal Volcano eruption rest in Padre Pio Shrine, Santo Tomas, Batangas, Jan. 15, 2020. <em>Eloisa Lopez, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Batangas provincial government appealed Friday for additional relief aid as the fissures opened by the grumbling Taal Volcano widened and more residents fled to evacuation centers.</p><p>Set in a picturesque lake south of the capital, Taal belched a giant ash column over the weekend and had since spawned hundreds of quakes that cracked roads and houses in several Batangas towns.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/14/20/from-fissures-to-shockwaves-12-volcanic-hazards-to-watch-out-for ">From fissures to shockwaves: 12 volcanic hazards to watch out for</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/15/20/phivolcs-evacuate-from-areas-near-taal-volcano-where-fissures-appeared">Phivolcs: Evacuate from areas near Taal Volcano where fissures appeared</a></li></ul><p>The fissures have widened in some areas, which was likely caused by magma moving towards Taal&#x27;s crater, seismology institute Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum told radio DZMM.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VG-3IE2xO8Q?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Residents were evacuated and barred from returning to areas inside a 15-kilometer danger zone around the volcano, including Talisay, Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Laurel, Alitagtag, Lemery, Sta. Teresita, Balete and Taal towns, as well as parts of Mataas na Kahoy, Lipa and Tanauan, said Lito Castro, head of the province&#x27;s disaster office.</p><p>Taal&#x27;s unrest has affected 137,014 Batangas residents as of late Thursday, the province&#x27;s Public Information Office said on Facebook.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Pag po ito&#x27;y tumagal, siguradong magkukulang ang ating resources,&quot; Castro told radio DZMM.</p><p>(If this goes on, our resources will surely run out.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ApCoD7AeFaE?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Evacuees need sleeping mats, blankets, pillows, mosquito nets and hygiene kits, the Batangas PIO said.</p><p>Donors can coordinate with local welfare officer Weng Casabuena at mobile number 0919 804 2398, or drop off relief packs and make bank deposits at the following hubs and accounts, the PIO said.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/batspio/posts/2693282354291340" data-width="auto"> </div><p><br/> <br/>Phivolcs meanwhile will check the ground deformation spawned by Taal in an aerial survey, said Solidum.</p><p>Taal remains under the second highest danger level, meaning a &quot;hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days,&quot; said Phivolcs.</p>

<p>"Pag po ito'y tumagal, siguradong magkukulang ang ating resources," Lito Castro, head of Batangas province's disaster office, said.</p>

"Pag po ito'y tumagal, siguradong magkukulang ang ating resources," Lito Castro, head of Batangas province's disaster office, said.

Fire under our feet: As fissures widen, Batangas fears dwindling aid supply

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Fire under our feet: As fissures widen, Batangas fears dwindling aid supply

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 17, 2020 08:05 AM PHT

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Updated Jan 17, 2020 09:50 AM PHT

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DZMM

Batangas

relief aid

evacuation

donation

Taal volcano

eruption

earthquake

Taal

regions

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