Residents flee from Mt. Kanlaon’s danger zone
BACOLOD CITY – More than 600 families living at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon in the two Negros provinces have fled their homes since Friday after the active volcano has shown signs of unrest.
The local governments of La Castellana town in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental have implemented preemptive evacuations last Sept. 13 amid the warning by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) that the increase in earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions at Mt. Kanlaon could lead to a magmatic explosion.
According to La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan, at least 550 families, composed of nearly 2,000 individuals in Barangays Biak na Bato, Cabagnaan and Masulog were transferred to evacuation centers outside the danger zone.
In Canlaon City, at least 144 families with 431 members have evacuated, the city said in a separate statement on Saturday.
At least 17 volcanic earthquakes were recorded and 10,880 tons of sulfur dioxide were emitted by the volcano since midnight on Thursday, the Phivolcs said.
Expand danger zone
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has suggested that the danger zone be expanded from 4 kilometers to 6 km, and that residents within that area should be preemptively evacuated.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the OCD recommended the expansion of the danger zone in the province’s cities of Bago, San Carlos, La Carlota and La Castellana town.
“In principle, I said yes but of course I have to refer this to the local chief executives,” Lacson said.
“La Castellana is doing some preemptive evacuation already”, he said, adding that the provincial government would assist the town as its resources had already been depleted with earlier evacuations.
He said the OCD also recommended that the Panaad Park and Sports Complex in Negros Occidental’s capital city of Bacolod be used as an evacuation site.
However, Mangilimutan said the La Castellana evacuees could be accommodated at evacuation sites in her town.
“Using the Panaad would be for a really extreme case such as a major Kanlaon eruption,” Lacson said.
Lacson said there were less tremors at Kanlaon on Friday.
“I hope that is a sign that Kanlaon is simmering down”, he said.
Curfew, liquor ban
Mt. Kanlaon’s release of sulfur dioxide has severely affected agricultural production in Canlaon City, posing risks to the livelihood of many farmers.
The Canlaon city government has imposed a 10 p.m. curfew at its evacuation centers due to the threat posed by a volcanic eruption.
The city government, in a statement, also banned the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages to maintain public order and safety during this critical period.
“Residents are strongly advised to remain indoors, keep windows and doors securely closed, and only go outside when absolutely necessary to avoid exposure to volcanic gasses and ashfall,” it said.
Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas ordered the use of face masks to mitigate respiratory hazards due to elevated sulfur dioxide levels.
Water safety measures are also in place, including water sampling, to ensure the safety of drinking water amid potential contamination.
The Canlaon Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has approved a cash grant of P500 for to each evacuee aged 18 and above.
