Thousands of evacuees from high-risk areas in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental cannot return home yet due to the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon, the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) said yesterday.

OCD-6 Director Raul Fernandez said the move prioritizes safety.

“It is not yet safe considering the volcano continues to manifest magmatic activities,” he said in a Canlaon City press briefing.

“There’s always a first time for a major eruption, and we don’t want you to be victims.”

He cited Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption and the succeeding lahar flow, which caused deaths and injuries.

Fernandez, also the commander of Task Force Kanlaon, said pyroclastic materials from a major eruption could cover a radius of 14 kilometers or more.

Lahar can move at high speeds, he added.

Edna Masicampo, Canlaon City information officer-designate, said Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas supports the OCD’s decision and is appealing for more provincial and national aid.

Cardenas said preparations are needed to evacuate the entire city in case of an Alert Level 4.

The mayor presented a plan that included food, transportation, housing, evacuation sites, communications, education, health, and other necessities.

Cardenas also called on Governor Manuel Sagarbarria to release P5,000 in cash assistance for each displaced person.

In the same briefing, OCD-7 (Central Visayas) Director Joel Erestain said there is only one viable evacuation route out of Canlaon City – the route to Vallehermoso.

As of 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 6, 1,375 families, consisting of 4,406 individuals, were in 10 evacuation centers, while 646 families, or 2,024 individuals, were staying with relatives.

Fernandez said evacuees should register with authorities and could visit their farms during the daytime but must return to the evacuation camps by 4:00 p.m.

He said this would make it easier for emergency responders to locate them during a daytime eruption. (PNA)