By JEN BAYLON
Local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano will present their contingency plans today to assess their readiness in case of another eruption, the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) said.
“We will also know the gaps [in the plans] so that agencies can have support with different programs of the LGUs if the alert level escalates,” OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez said, emphasizing that localities should come up with detailed plans.
“We will make suggestions on their plans,” Fernandez said, adding that they had made initial revisions to their plans before the presentation.
Contingency plans made by the La Castellana municipal government will be among the first to be reviewed.
La Castellana will be the hardest hit LGU in case the restless volcano erupts again, which could force the evacuation of about 40,000 residents, Mayor Rhumylla Nicor-Mangilimutan said.
Currently, Mangilimutan said the municipality has only four trucks available for transport, prompting the need for a memorandum of agreement with a bus company to facilitate evacuations.
Last week, more than 2,000 residents outside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone in the town, affected by the ashfall following the eruption, were already allowed by the municipal government to return home.
Fernandez highlighted that one key focus would be on executing effective evacuation plans.
“We must ensure that all systems are in place for a swift response should conditions worsen,” he said.
OCD-6 has also activated its review team to assess the contingency plans.
As of Wednesday, January 22, there are 3,039 families, composed of 9,660 persons, who are still inside 22 evacuation centers following the eruption, data from the Department of Health in Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR) said.
Kanlaon’s eruption affected 8,781 families, or 28,655 individuals, in five LGUs, the DOH-NIR added.
Earlier, the OCD-6 announced plans to establish additional tent cities in northern Negros Occidental, which would necessitate immediate evacuations from Kanlaon’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone.
Fernandez revealed that, aside from Himamaylan City, OCD-6 also plans to set up tent cities in Silay City and Talisay City.
He said the initiative is in preparation for a potential Alert Level 4 over Kanlaon.
Silay and Talisay have been identified as sites for the tent cities, where residents may need to be evacuated swiftly should the volcanic activities increase.
OCD-6 is also mulling the construction of additional tent cities at Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City, as well as in Kabankalan City.
In neighboring Negros Oriental, similar preparations are being made, where tent cities are slated for Vallehermoso town and Guihulngan City./JB, WDJ