Towards Modelling of Evacuation Behavior and Planning for Emergency Logistics Due to the Philippine Taal Volcanic Eruption in 2020

Abstract

Emergency evacuation is the immediate escape of people away from a place of an imminent threat to a place of safety. The ability of the households to evacuate is a crucial component in reducing disaster risk. Logistical issues such as a lack of resources during and after the evacuation, as well as road congestion, might arise, especially in short and no-notice calamities such as a volcanic eruption. This study examines the relationship of variables of evacuation logistics of Barangay Banga, Talisay, Batangas in the context of the 2020 Taal Volcanic eruption. A survey was conducted based on the experience of the households during the volcanic eruption. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed for all the variables on household evacuation logistics to understand the behavior of households as they make decisions during emergencies. These variables include the type of evacuation, departure timing, evacuation mode choice, and destination choice. Additionally, a pairwise correlation was employed to identify the influential factors related to household evacuation logistics such as socio-demographic and household characteristics, hazard-related factors as well as their experience with Taal Volcano’s recurring activities. The results of this study aim to provide insights to a better understanding of the evacuation behavior of households in the context of a volcanic eruption and be useful in the evacuation logistics planning of the country.