By JEN BAYLON
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) appealed to residents in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town and Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City to take the warnings seriously in relation to the potential eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
The call comes in light of recent advisories by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), which reported heightened ground deformation and increased volcanic activity at Kanlaon.
“I appeal to all residents, even those outside the six-kilometer extended danger zone, to take this situation seriously. We want no casualties in the event of an eruption,” OCD Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.
He urged residents within the volcano’s permanent danger zone to evacuate from their homes as a precautionary measure amid the continuous volcanic activity.
Nepomuceno also stressed the importance of prioritizing safety over material possessions, noting that there are far more important considerations than property and livelihoods in the face of such a natural threat.
The OCD administrator highlighted that even individuals living outside the designated six-kilometer extended danger zone should not become complacent.
He advised those in areas surrounding Kanlaon to remain alert and prepare for possible evacuation if conditions worsen.
At least 5,819 individuals, or 1,859 families, are currently sheltered in evacuation centers across Negros Occidental, latest data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas showed.
Meanwhile, 5,552 evacuees, primarily those living outside the six-kilometer extended danger zone, left the evacuation facilities last week.
Only 15 evacuation centers remain operational as many evacuees have returned home, data said.
Around P58.9 million in assistance from DSWD, local government units and non-government organizations has been distributed following Kanlaon’s eruption last December 9, 2024.
Additionally, DSWD has P146.5 million in available relief funds for food and non-food items, alongside P500,000 in standby funds.
Kanlaon had two notable ash emission episodes reaching 5,840 tons in the past 24 hours, with plumes rising up to 750 meters, Phivolcs reported.
This follows a series of volcanic earthquakes, totaling 27, which include multiple tremors that suggest heightened volcanic activity beneath the surface.
Alert Level 3, indicating intensified or magmatic unrest, prevails over Kanlaon, which means that sudden explosive eruption, lava flow, ashfall, rockfall, lahar during heavy rains, and pyroclastic density current can occur, Phivolcs said./JB, WDJ