At least 23,622 residents of five barangays in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, have been affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas said during a meeting attended by provincial and local officials yesterday.
The figure is about 40 percent of the city’s total population of 58,822, Cardenas said.
During a meeting at Canlaon City Hall, Cardenas briefed Governor Manuel Sagarbarria and other top provincial officials on the city’s current situation and the ongoing measures to protect its residents.
Cardenas said 40,000 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas Region (DSWD-7) are being distributed to the affected barangays, which include Pula, Masulog, Malaiba, Lumapao, and Linuthangan.
He said not all affected village residents went to designated evacuation centers, as many have opted to stay with relatives and friends.
To date, only 155 families are staying at the evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Sagarbarria pledged 100 gas masks for immediate procurement to supplement Canlaon City’s current rescue equipment and logistics, which are now on standby.
Private trucks from nearby towns and cities have also been deployed to Canlaon City, while Army personnel and logistics were also deployed to help the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Cardenas appealed to the city council to convene a special session to declare a state of calamity immediately so the city could utilize its quick response fund.
“Our primary goal here is to ensure the safety of our people, and we will do all that we can to provide them with the necessities,” he said.
Over the past 12 hours, the mayor issued executive orders requiring mandatory evacuation, suspending work and classes, and shutting down the tourism industry.
No one is allowed to go near the restive Mt. Kanlaon unless otherwise authorized personnel.
Dr. Liland Estacion, provincial health office chief, said the office will distribute jerry cans, water purification tablets, face masks, and medicines to affected families.
She urged people to wear face masks, as ashfall particles and inhalation of sulfur from the volcano can cause respiratory and other illnesses.
DSWD chief Rex Gatchalian is expected to arrive in Canlaon City. (PNA)