La Castellana town in Negros Occidental started its preemptive evacuation of residents living close to Kanlaon Volcano as heavy rain poured on Friday, Sept. 13.
There were 550 families with 1,862 members who were preemptively evacuated from barangays Biak na Bato, Cabagnaan and Masulog, La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan said Friday night.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned that the increase in earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions at Kanlaon could lead to a magmatic explosion.
There were 17 volcanic earthquakes and 10,880 tons of sulfur dioxide emitted by Kanlaon Volcano from 12 a.m. Thursday to 12 a.m. Friday, Phivolcs reported.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has suggested that the Kanlaon danger zone be expanded from 4 to 6 kilometers, and that residents within that area should be preemptively evacuated, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
The OCD Region 6 recommended the expansion of the danger zones in Bago, San Carlos and La Carlota cities, and La Castellana town, he said.
“In principle I said yes but of course I have to refer this to the local chief executives,” Lacson said.
“La Castellana is doing some preemptive evacuation already”, he said, adding that the provincial government will assist the town as its resources have already been depleted with earlier evacuations.
He said the OCD recommended that the Panaad Park and Sports Complex in Bacolod be used as an evacuation site. However, Mangilimutan said the La Castellana evacuees could be accommodated at evacuation sites in her town.
Using the Panaad would be for a really extreme case such as a major Kanlaon eruption, Lacson said.
The governor said there were less tremors at Kanlaon on Friday and he hopes and prays that there will be no eruption.
“I hope that is a sign that Kanlaon is simmering down”, he said.
Canlaon City in Negros Oriental has also ramped up its preemptive evacuation efforts. There were 144 families with 431 members who have evacuated, a press release from the city said.
Kanlaon’s release of sulfur dioxide has severely impacted on agricultural production in Canlaon, posing risks to the livelihood of many farmers, it added.*