NO evacuations will commence yet for residents of Pagan, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said.
“We talked to the two gentlemen who live on Pagan. Although there’s a warning regarding the ashes coming out of the volcano, they still prefer to stay on the island, so we continue to monitor that, and I hope that in the next couple of days or so, we’ll have a better understanding and decide whether to evacuate them,” he added.
The U.S. Geological Survey last week upgraded the aviation color code/volcano alert level for Pagan to Orange/Watch following the observation of low-level emissions from the volcano for most of Sept. 1, 2021.
As a precautionary measure, Governor Torres, through the CNMI Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, has advised mariners and the general public to avoid venturing into the immediate area around Pagan for their safety.
“We also continue to coordinate with our federal partners through our team at Homeland Security and Emergency Management about the evolving situation in Pagan,” the governor said. “We ask our residents and boaters to steer clear of the immediate area around Pagan. The safety and protection of our residents are a paramount priority, and we will continue to work closely with USGS on next steps forward,” he added.
USGS said it will continue to evaluate satellite imagery, distal geophysical data, and mariner reports when available, but added that because the volcano is not monitored with ground-based instruments, it cannot provide advanced warning of activity.
For more information, go to http://www.cnmihsem.gov.mp, http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/cnmistatus.php or http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/washington.html
