By CESAR JOLITO III
The Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has suspended entry and prohibited residents from carrying out farming and livelihood activities within Kanlaon Volcano’s six-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) starting Tuesday, June 24.
The Regional Task Force Kanlaon, in coordination with OCD and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), issued the directive after the volcano recorded heightened seismic and gas emissions last Sunday, June 22.
Evacuated residents are prohibited from returning to their homes in the EDZ during the window period between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to carry out farming and other essential activities until further notice.
OCD said there are multiple entry points around the EDZ, such as Barangays Biak na Bato, Cabagna-an and Mansalanao in La Castellana town; Barangays Ara-al and Yubo in La Carlota City; and Barangay Ilijan in Bago City.
Other areas are within the danger zone, which include Barangays Linothangan, Malaiba and Lumapao in Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City.
Earlier this month, the Regional Task Force lifted the prohibition of entry within the EDZ but maintains strict monitoring of volcanic activity.
According to the latest bulletin from Phivolcs, a total of 67 volcanic earthquakes and a sulfur dioxide flux averaging 755 tons per day were recorded at Kanlaon on Sunday.
A voluminous ash plume reaching up to 950 meters was also observed, drifting northeast and north-northeast due to prevailing winds.
OCD said Kanlaon continues to exhibit signs of unrest, including continuous degassing, prompting the suspension of access to farming and other essential activities within the danger zone as a precautionary measure.
“We can’t predict if the intensified volcanic activity is a sign of an eruption,” OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III said.
Sermeno further noted, based on previous experiences, that these parameters may be precursors to sudden eruptions.
Kanlaon’s continuing unrest since December last year mainly affected residents in La Carlota, Bago and La Castellana in Negros Occidental.
Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3, signaling ongoing magmatic unrest with the potential for sudden explosive eruptions, lava flows, ashfall, and other volcanic hazards.
Phivolcs noted that the increase in volcanic earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions is typical for Alert Level 3 status.
Authorities continue to monitor the volcano closely and urge the public to comply with safety measures and avoid entering restricted areas./CJ, WDJ