• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Sixty families in Barangay Ara-al, La Carlota City, and Brgy. Ilijan in Bago City, Negros Occidental, composed of 195 individuals, fled their homes and sought temporary shelter in evacuation centers due to heavy ashfall caused by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Irene Bel Ploteña disclosed on Friday.
Sulfuric smell and ashfall were experienced by residents in 50 barangays of Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran Valladolid, San Enrique, Binalbagan, aside from the cities of Bago and La Carlota, following the moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Thursday.
The Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) reported that shockwaves were experienced by residents of La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, San Enrique, and Hinigaran, all in Negros Occidental.
Suspension of classes at all levels, both in public and private schools, took effect on Friday in La Carlota City, Moises Padilla and La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Alert Level 2 is maintained over Kanlaon Volcano and entry into the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone must be strictly prohibited, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
Records of the Office of Civil Defense – Negros Island Region showed that 84 families in La Carlota and Bago cities in Negros Occidntal, and 47 in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, who are residing within the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone, are staying in evacuation centers as they are no longer allowed to return to their respective homes.
Ploteña said they dispatched two water filtration tankers to La Carlota City and these were augmented by the fire trucks sent by the Bureau of Fire and Protection-Pontevedra, to provide water provisions to the affected residents.
The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region and the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade also activated their respective contingency and response measures, following the volcano’s eruption.
Following the moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon, Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist of Kanlaon Volcano Observatory, said they have not monitored any significant events at the volcano on Friday, although they are not discounting the possibility of another eruption.
PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol reported that during the eruption, pyroclastic density currents were observed to have descended on the southern and southwestern upper slopes within two kilometers of the summit crater.
Donato Sermeno III, Office of Civil Defense regional director for Negros Island Region, advised affected local government units to continue their vigilance.*
