There has been continuous muddy stream flow in the rivers of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, brought on by heavy rain that is washing down ashfall from Kanlaon Volcano’s slopes.
The Negros Occidental provincial government has sent its excavator to La Castellana to clear river channels, John de Asis, head of the town’s local disaster risk reduction management office, said.
De Asis said they have not monitored any overflowing of the muddy stream flow but remain vigilant.
Since May 13, no major activity has been recorded at Kanlaon volcano, so the muddy stream flow is caused by the remaining deposits from the previous eruptions of the volcano that are now being washed down by the rain, he said.
Meanwhile, about 257 families or 890 persons in evacuation centers in La Carlota City will return to their homes on June 13, Mayor Rex Jalandoon confirmed.
They are residents who live outside the 6-kilometer danger zone, he said.
He said the 890 had previously been evacuated due to accessibility problems or difficulties in accessing their homes, he added.
This will allow regular classes to resume in schools being used as evacuation centers, with the departure of the IDPs, Jalandoon said.
La Castellana is still looking for ways to transfer its IDPs out of schools used as evacuation centers, de Asis said.*