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CNN Live At Daybreak

Philippines Faces Threat of Further Volcano Eruptions

Aired June 25, 2001 - 08:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with two natural disasters.

First, fountains of lava and choking clouds of ash have driven 35,000 people from their homes there in the shadow of the Mayon volcano in the Philippines. There are new warnings this morning of eruptions, although some people evacuated earlier have returned to their homes.

CNN's Maria Ressa is at the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Evacuating their homes is not new for this Filipinos, most of whom have lived there whole lives under the shadow of Mayon, the Philippines most active volcano. But Sunday's eruption scared even the most jaded.

"This was stronger, more explosions," says 54-year-old Gendaniva Sarsa (ph). "Thick smoke was curling in and rolling down the slope. It looked like a cauliflower."

Her cousin Marsala Osafardo (ph) lost seven family members in the 1993 eruption. Still, he says he has never considered moving. "There's no place like it," he adds. "The water is free and the land is fertile."

Authorities have been watching Mayon closely since January. And evacuations here have become an exercise of sorts, keeping this eruption relatively safe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE. Of course, we were warned several times. And we're so used to it. After all, this volcano has been so active for the past decades.

RESSA: On Monday, the government declared a state of calamity to release funds to feed and shelter tens of thousands of people. That number is expected to grow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we can expect in the coming days that there will be some explosions.

RESSA: The greatest danger now is underestimating Mayon. During a brief lull Monday, many went back to their homes even though they're within an 8-kilometer danger zone. Most of those killed in earlier eruptions were farmers tilling their fields.

(on camera): There are still many signs of life within the danger zone, even though those here are keeping a watchful eye on the volcano. In 1993, this whole area was leveled by volcanic debris. Now authorities are asking residents to leave, even as volcanic debris and the hot gasses continue to inch their way down the sides of Mayon.

Maria Ressa, CNN, Legazpi City, the Philippines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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