Philippine President Gloria Arroyo said Wednesday 40,000 people had been successfully evacuated from the rumbling Mayon volcano and warned them not to go back to the danger zone.
A two-day mandatory evacuation enforced by the military and local government has seen 39,422 people flee from villages surrounding Mayon, the most active volcano in the Philippines, rescue officials in Albay province said.
Arroyo said she was confident that a "zero-casualty goal" in the looming natural disaster would be ensured. The volcano has been belching out lava since July 15.
She also warned residents, now sheltering in schools out of reach of any eruption, "not to flirt with danger by going back to the declared danger zones".
"Instead heed the advice of experts and disaster officials to stay out of harms way," she said.
The volcano quietened down for the first time Wednesday after three weeks of mild lava emissions, but scientists warned that the lull was temporary and it could blow within days.
Arroyo said the government has ample resources to take care of the evacuees basic needs.
These people "will not be kept from their homes a minute longer than is necessary," she said.
She also ordered her budget department to prepare an extra 250 million pesos (4.86 million dollars) in calamity funds to augment the 76 million pesos (1.48 million dollars) earlier disbursed by the national government.
