Spewing an eruption column 3,281 feet into the air, Taal interrupted life in the Phillippines on Sunday, January 12, 2020. Images of evacuations, ash-covered homes, and roadways as well as animals dead and alive plastered the internet. The ash cloud spread as far away as Manilla (60 miles to the north), felt by our colleagues 41 miles from the eruption site. (read our update from January 15, 2020)
The Philippine field and our national partners in ministry gave us a new update on the Taal Volcano eruption.
The Philippines, January 23, 2020:
Most people in the danger zone are evacuated now. Local government units in designated evacuation centers are caring for them. The evacuation centers are stocked with plenty of supplies. Evacuees that are staying with family members or who are being sheltered in church buildings have a real need for help. The extra people to care for and feed is putting a strain on families and churches. Supplies are being sent to them from near and far. Farmers in Benguet have sent truckloads of vegetables to Cavite and Batangas. Businessmen are working together, setting up feeding centers and gathering resources to care for the people in towns surrounding Cavite and Laguna.
Another colleague writes, “One thing we already did was give them a generator that has been sitting unused at the mission office since the ’90s. It was taken to a church that is sheltering evacuees, but had no electricity.” He continues to explain the Volcano. “Taal Volcano, however, is an ‘enigmatic volcano’. It is different from most volcanoes, and experts all over the world are eager to study it and learn. But it is quite unpredictable. The area of volcanic activity is quite large, with fissures appearing in the ground far from the current mouth of the volcano. Steam or magma could potentially rise through any of these fissures, possibly with terrific force. Since the mouth of the volcano is at such low altitude, there is the possibility that lake or even seawater could seep down and vaporize with great force. The magma chamber of Taal is shallow for a volcano–only about 70 km below the surface. Yes, 70–rather than the typical 100+ km down.”
If You Would Like to Help…
WorldVenture colleagues in the Philippines frequently have opportunities to share the love of God, establish new relationships, and open new doors of ministry by offering help in times of disaster and emergency. The Philippine Field said, “We are contributing money already to the need from funds available from the ‘6420-931 Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation’ fund.” If you want to give, go to give.worldventure.com, create a partner account, and choose this fund in which to donate money. Thank you for your prayers and generosity!
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” – Hebrews 13:16 ESV