As we saw the viral photos and videos of the frightening instantaneous and powerful phreamagmatic (magma and water) eruption of the Taal Volcano last weekend that released the giant plume of ash, we also witnessed the flashes of mesmerizing electrical discharges amidst the cloudy gray skies.
Everyone was caught by surprise by the sudden and powerful eruption of the active volcano on January 12, 2020, and no one knew exactly what the extent of the eruption would be like for residents in the area and the travelers who came to see the favorite tourist destination in Batangas that is seen from Tagaytay in Cavite.
Run for your lives
We just knew that the government gave a warning and order to immediately leave the area just before all hell broke loose.
Now we are just beginning to realize and understand how it must have been like to suddenly get caught in that fearful situation that pushed everyone in a frantic dash to escape to save themselves and their families.
Then we all saw in social media the rescue, drama, and hardship of muddy ash-covered people trying to reach the evacuation centers. We also saw how everything turned into gray desolate areas in just a few hours.
The subsequent calls for prayers, help, donations, and volunteers for the evacuees flooded the airwaves and social media, were not left unanswered by the people and many are still answering the calls.
Animals were left behind
Only till a bit later did people realize that most of the pets and animals in the area were left behind to face the wrath of Taal and fend for themselves.
Thousands of netizens also began to voice their concern about the animals that were left behind in the island and surrounding areas. They worried about the pets and especially the horses that are known to carry tourists up and down the island to see the view and take selfies at the crater of the volcano.
Reality sucks sometimes in certain kind of situations and in ongoing emergencies and at times of uncertainty, the animals will just have to wait.
The plea was heard
As soon as the intense volcanic activity had died down a bit, the brave heroic volunteers and residents prepared and took the opportunity to rescue and save the animals, in spite of the government’s warning not to return to the affected areas.
Horrific videos and photos began to trickle in social media as rescuers began to document the situation in the island. We saw the dead and dying horses, the eerily ash-laden petrified horses standing like statues against a gray backdrop still waiting for their masters to return.
We can only imagine the horror those animals went through during the eruption while being at the center of it all.
The good news is that quite a number of horses and animals were fortunate enough to have survived. Some were given first aid like water and food and after being washed, the rescuers and owners of the animals were able to put them on a boat to take them to better place where they’ll be safe and have food and water.
What we learned: No Casualty
With such an intense and massive volcanic event, it is surprising that there were no reports of human casualty. It may be attributed to the immediate warning from the Philvocs and appropriate actions of government agencies; the Local Government Unit’s immediate response; the resident’s cooperation and fast evacuation, and prayers offered by the rest of us.
We love our pets and animals
We realized that our pets and animals have somewhat been left out in disaster preparedness. Government and pet lovers could work together to formulate a plan on what to do with pets and animals in case of disaster and emergencies, making provisions and designating shelters for animals.
WATCH THIS RAW VIDEO of the Taal Volcano eruption as recorded live by vlogger Rosanni Sarile and TELL US in the comments below – what silver lining are you seeing in the midst of this Taal Volcano crisis?
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