The Negros Occidental provincial government is expected to send heavy equipment into La Castellana town to extract hardened lahar from waterways, which has caused water levels to rise quickly during periods of heavy rainfall.

Provincial Administrator lawyer Rayfrando Diaz told the media that dredging of lahar-filled waterways is critical to prevent further flooding in communities, especially amid the monsoon season.

Diaz said the provincial government will bring in backhoes, dump trucks, and an engineering team for dredging and clearing operations in creeks and other water channels in La Castellana.

“We will start with the clearing of the roads, then dredge the creek,” the official assured, after downpour on August 31 led to the evacuation of many families in La Castellana due to overflowing of waterways.

The capacity of these waterways to hold water has greatly reduced in recent months due to accumulated volcanic materials brought about by previous Kanlaon Volcano eruptions.

Diaz emphasized, however, that the removed materials will be transported to a nearby Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP) facility for stockpiling, as resources from within the Natural Park cannot be sold for commercial use nor hauled outside the protected area.

In March, in anticipation of this year’s La Niña, the MKNP Protected Area Management Board approved a resolution allowing La Castellana to clear waterways of debris obstructing the natural flow of water.

The resolution emphasizes, however, that any material removed shall remain within the MKNP to mitigate any potential abuse of the natural park’s resources.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region recommends finding a long-term solution to this issue that will be included in the Kanlaon Recovery Plan. (PIA-Negros Occidental)