About 1,362 evacuees returned to Barangay Mansalanao in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, June 12, Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan said.
The Mansalanao residents had evacuated to La Castellana evacuation centers after Kanlaon Volcano erupted on June 3.
They were allowed to return home since the situation in Mansalanao is back to normal and their village is not within the Kanlaon danger zone, the mayor said.
However, new evacuees from villages in danger of being hit by lahar flow were also arriving at the evacuation centers, she said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson visited La Castellana Wednesday afternoon to check on needs at the evacuation centers. A new group evacuees also arrived at the La Castellana evacuation centers, he said.
Rep. Emilio Yulo (Neg. Occ., 5th District) delivered 5,500 food packs sent by House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday to aid La Castellana residents outside the evacuation centers, the mayor said.
Mari-Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory, said Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level No. 2 or a period of increased unrest.
Kanlaon was still emitting 3,431 tons of sulfur dioxide per day. That is very high and is a sign of volcanic unrest, Quintia said on Wednesday.*