The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Negros Occidental is extending assistance to local government units (LGUs) affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on June 3.

Several villages of LGUs situated at the foot of the active volcano, particularly those in the fourth and fifth districts, have been badly hit by ashfall, sulfurous odor, and lahar or mudflow, which also posed risks to livestock and poultry.

Dr. Placeda Lemana, the provincial veterinarian, said yesterday that while there are no reports of mortality, they are monitoring cases of respiratory disease reported among animals in the fourth district.

“The PVO immediately provided veterinary emergency drugs to the affected areas in coordination with the local agriculture and veterinary offices,” she told the Philippine News Agency.

In the fourth district, the cities of Bago and La Carlota are the most affected, and the municipalities of La Castellana and Moises Padilla in the fifth district.

La Castellana has been in a state of calamity since June 4.

On Thursday, PVO personnel turned over veterinary drugs to La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan as a quick response to animals in affected areas.

Lemana said they have also mobilized the district veterinarians, livestock technicians and para-veterinarians (paravets) to provide immediate technical assistance to affected animal raisers.

On Friday, the PVO deployed paravets to monitor the immediate needs of animals at Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana.

The PVO chief said personnel also conducted inspection and disinfection to ensure operational readiness of the animal rescue center in Barangay 1, Moises Padilla.

Mt. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2, which means “there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.” (PNA)