Frygt for at hel ø kan springe i luften – normalt mange turister, men nu er de forment adgang
TAAL VOLCANO ISLAND, 25 May 2011 (IRIN) – Along with many other residents, father-of-two Chris Pornea has refused to leave his home in the coastal village of San Isidroon on Taal Volcano Island in the Philippines, ignoring a deep rumbling sound within the mountain that has been threatening to explode for more than a month.
Pornea is one of 3.000 residents who have lived for generations in the volcano’s shadow, mostly as farmers, subsistence fishermen, or as guides for the tourists that visit regularly.
– We can not just leave the volcano. This is our home, the 36-year-old told IRIN, as he tended his small shop stocked with soft drinks and canned goods. – These are mostly sold to tourists, but with them gone, my small business is also failing, noted he.
Just 60 km outside the capital Manila, Taal volcano is among the most powerful and destructive of the country’s 23 active volcanoes.
The 23 sqkm volcano island is famous for its unique crater lake, although the island itself lies inside a bigger lake formed from past volcanic explosions.
For years, tour operators have taken visitors to the area, with many resorts around the island specializing in outdoor activities, injecting much-needed revenue into the local economy.
Rumblings
Læs videre på http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=92805
