Representatives of local government units gathered at the Negros Occidental provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Tuesday, Sept. 17, to update their contingency plans in preparation for a possible eruption at Kanlaon Volcano, Office of Civil Defense 6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez said.
There were 32 volcanic earthquakes and 10,880 tons of sulfur dioxide emitted by Kanlaon from 12 a.m. Monday to 12 a.m. Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Their study shows that in case of an eruption La Castellana, Canlaon
City and even La Carlota City will be hit, Fernandez said.
Present at the contingency planning meeting were representatives of LGUs that could be hit by an eruption and partner LGUs who will adopt some of the evacuees, he said.
He said the Panaad Park in Bacolod City has been identified as an evacuation center in case of an eruption but it can only accommodate 1,400 families.
There are 902 families with 2,765 members who have already been preemptively evacuated from barangays Masulog, Cabagnaan, Biak na Bato and Mansalanao in La Castellana, Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan said.
Mayor Rex Jalandoon said they have also started evacuating residents in four remote sitios of Barangay Yubo, La Carlota City, that are within the danger zone and cannot be reached by vehicles.
About 165 families have evacuated in La Carlota City, Fernandez said.
Fernandez said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has been providing food assistance for the evacuees at evacuation centers.*