Mt.

Pinatubo

Mt. Pinatubo was one of the most famous volcanoes which erupted on June 15, 1991.
Mt. Pinatubo was located in northern island of Luzon. Its eruptive history was unknown
to most before the pre-eruption volcanic activities of 1991, just before June. Pinatubo
was heavily eroded, inconspicuous and obscured from view. It was covered with
dense forests which supported a population of several thousand indigenous Aetas.

The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo affected the economy, health and environment of
the people living near at that place. Its effects were very tragic and covered a very huge
area in the northern island of Luzon. In the 2-year period since June 1991, the damage
from eruptions and their aftereffects has been staggering and debilitating. Worse, it is
expected to continue for at least several years more, until lahars no longer occur.
Damage is reported in different ways for different sectors. That for public infrastructure,
natural resources, and military facilities is the estimated cost to repair or replace
damaged assets. Estimates of damage to trade and industry include the cost to repair
or replace facilities and projected income from foregone sales and service. Estimated
damage in agriculture is the expected value of yield multiplied by the area damaged.

From June 1991 to November 1992, means of livelihood, houses, or both were
partially or wholly lost in 364 villages. About 329,000 families (2.1 million people), about
one-third of the region's population, lived in these 364 villages at the time of the 1990
census. In 1991, 4,979 houses were totally destroyed and 70,257 houses were partially
damaged. The number decreased in 1992, when 3,281 houses were wholly destroyed
and 3,137 units were partially damaged. Of the 329,000 families (2.1 million persons)
affected, 7,840 families (35,120 persons) were of the Aeta cultural minority. Although
constituting less than 2 percent of the total affected population, these cultural minorities
have received significant attention.

There were also some common problems and difficulties encountered by the
people living near at the location of Mt. Pinatubo before and during it erupted such
trouble at evacuating since the explosion of the volcano was very strong and its so
dangerous to roam around.
Preventive measures that should be done before volcanic eruption:

>Everyone should be aware of the dangers that volcanic eruptions pose to live and be
prepared to face whatever circumstances the eruption may bring.
>Prepare all necessary things to bring once evacuation is needed. Those in danger
zones are warned when to evacuate. Once given the signal refrain from saying you will
be all right. Refusing to evacuate will pose more serious problems.
>Store as much food, water, light sources and batteries that are very useful in case of
emergency.
>Volcanic eruptions have ash falls so be prepared for masks or anything to cover nose
and mouth.
>Prioritize the safety of kids before other things. If you have relatives or friends who are
far from the volcano, take your children there until such time that your place is safe.
Government agencies play a critical role during times of disaster, but the exact
role of government is often unclear to disaster victims. Even more difficult to decipher
are the complex relationships between various government programs, from local to
national levels. This document will attempt to make the roles and relationships a little
more understandable.
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, federal assistance is made available
only after a formal request has been made by a states governor. The extent or the
impact of a natural or man-made event can qualify a region of a state to be declared a
disaster. The President makes this declaration, and once made, it initiates the efforts of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA. FEMA reacts as quickly
as possible to the devastation caused by a disaster to provide immediate aid and relief
to those affected; this is known as the disaster response phase. After the disaster is
over and it it is time to rebuild, the recovery phase begins, and with it come additional
sources of aid.
A state's governor orders a preliminary disaster report to be completed, usually
after a disaster has struck. Once this report is finished, the governor can then request
from the President a major disaster or emergency declaration for affected areas. This
request can be transmitted as soon as it is obvious that the destruction is significant,
often while a large scale weather event is still in progress.

Sources Used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pinatubo

https://pubs.usgs.gov/pinatubo/mercado/

https://sites.google.com/site/volcanoenvironmantalist/course-work/precautionary-
mearsures

http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/chap03/d03-07.pdf
Passed by: Harold Jason L. Dacanay

11 STEM

Passed to: Maam Lorena Ariate