The Negros Occidental provincial government temporarily suspended its clearing of volcanic debris from Ibid Creek in La Castellana town since Monday, Oct. 20, due to heavy rain.
They are also still searching for a new site for the volcanic materials removed from the creek, Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) – Negros Occidental, said on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The operation has so far cleared 3,000 cubic meters of debris, out of a target of 28,000 cubic meters, Ploteña said.
She said the designated areas in the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park for depositing the debris are already full, necessitating the search for another site.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Negros Island Region is continuing its clearing operations in the creek’s upper section.
The office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary has received the request from Governor Eugenio Lacson for a special permit that would allow commercial firms to conduct the creek clearing, but the province has not received a response yet, Ploteña added.*