“Let Kanlaon Volcano calm down, save our homes and livelihoods.”
That was the prayer of farm worker Rodelia Canlas, 58, of Barangay Mansalanao, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, at an evacuation center on Tuesday, June 8.
Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon said he is also issuing an oratio imperata for deliverance from calamities to be prayed in Diocese of Bacolod churches.
Canlas and her family left their homes in Purok Rose, Barangay Mansalanao on Monday and have sought shelter at the South Elementary School in Barangay Robles, La Castellana.
On Monday night there was thick ash, stones and fire coming out of Kanlaon Volcano, and a rumbling sound like thunder, she said.
”It was very scary, it happened so suddenly, we left our homes in fear”, Canlas said.
Canlas said they live at the foot of Kanlaon and she is praying the volcano calms down so she and her family do not lose their homes and livelihoods.
All the residents of Purok Rose where she lives evacuated, Canlas said.
La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan said the areas affected by the eruption are farming communities. The evacuees left their farm animals behind Monday night, she said.
Nenita Alvarado, 70, of Masulog, La Castellana, said she evacuated after stones spewed by the volcano rained on the roof of her house and she heard people shouting that they should leave their village.
It was the first time she had experienced anything like that in her entire life, she said.*