Taal eruption: Car-care tips for ashfall impacted vehicles
- Country:
- Philippines
Thousands of residents under orders to evacuate from a town near the Philippine volcano Taal were allowed to briefly visit homes taking advantage of what appeared to be waning activity.
Volcanic ash has caused an estimated 3.06 billion pesos ($60.17 million) worth of damage to crops, livestock and fish farms, based on the latest data from the agriculture department.
Hundreds of vehicles are feared to be damaged due to the ashfall from the Taal volcano and many among them can be repaired if done properly.
Ashfall can gravely impact vehicles and also harm the people using or repairing those vehicles so one needs to be careful while working with it initially.
Cleaning an ashfall-impacted vehicle
- Wash the vehicle with pressurized water to remove ash from the body.
- Repeat if the vehicle continues to be covered with ashfall.
- If the engine room is affected then it would be better to take the vehicle to a professional engine cleaning service. Do not try to clean the engine yourself as it might permanently damage the vehicle.
Caution: Do not wipe the vehicle while spraying water to avoid scratches on the vehicle's body.
Avoid health risks while driving
In the event of an ashfall, the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN) encourages the public to stay indoors and avoid driving.
"Ash is harmful to vehicles, the roads may be slippery and driving suspends ash into the air which causes low visibility and may be harmful or irritating to others," it said.
But if you still need to drive, follow these tips to stay safe:
- Refrain from using an air conditioning system to prevent outside air from coming in until the advisories are lifted.
- Get the air filter cleaned.
- Refrain from driving altogether during heavy ashfall.
Taal has erupted more than 30 times in the past five centuries, most recently in 1977. A 1754 eruption lasted for months. The Philippines lies on the "Ring of Fire", a belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that is also prone to earthquakes.
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