• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Office of the Civil Defense is eying the expansion of the Kanlaon volcano danger zone from six kilometers to 10 kilometers, if weather conditions worsen.
Mudflows were reported in some villages of the affected local government units of La Castellana and La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, due to heavy rains in the past several days.
“We are keeping a close watch on the PAGASA weather reports that would be the trigger for a massive evacuation,” disclosed OCD Western Visayas Director and Task Force Kanlaon chief Raul Fernandez.
Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in La Carlota City, said PHIVOLCS has recommended a 6-kilometer radius evacuation and has not expanded it to 10.
However, they have warned that prolonged and heavy rainfall may generate post-eruption lahar from remnant pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits from Kanlaon’s December 9 explosion, Quintia added.
According to PHIVOLCS, there are 111 barangays in 14 LGUs within the lahar hazard zone.
By extending the PDZ to 10 kilometers, Fernandez said it will ensure that all residents in the path of lahar can be evacuated, even before the hazards arrive.
He admitted that an expansion of the danger zone would mean the evacuation of thousands more.
Fernandez clarified that it is just advanced planning.
But preparatory work for an expanded evacuation is underway, to ensure that we are ready for the worst case scenario, the OCD 6 chief said.
As of Dec. 19, there are 5,642 families, composed of 18,644 individuals, from 21 affected barangays of La Castellana, Moises Padilla, La Carlota, Pontevedra, Murcia and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, staying in evacuation centers.
In Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, there are 1,749 families, comprising 5,646 individuals, evacuated from the 6 kilometer danger zone, who are occupying nine evacuation centers.*
