By CESAR JOLITO III
The efforts to clear the massive volcanic sediments that blocked Tamburong Creek at Barangay Biak na Bato in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town have so far yielded minimal progress, with authorities confirming that less than one percent of the debris has been hauled out.
According to John de Asis, head of the La Castellana Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, only 35 truckloads of sand and rocks had been transported to the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park compound as of Friday, September 5.
This figure is a fraction of the estimated 25,000 cubic meters of volcanic sediments that continue to obstruct the creek.
Heavy equipment has cleared areas near the bridge, but De Asis said at least one more kilometer upstream still needs to be excavated.
The creek, which spans six to eight meters wide and about three meters deep, remains heavily silted, raising concerns of possible flooding if heavy rains persist.
Recovery, development plan
The Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR), together with the Regional Task Force Kanlaon’s Incident Management Team (IMT), conducted site inspections in La Carlota City and Moises Padilla town as part of the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan (KRDP) eight months since Kanlaon exhibited signs of the continued unrest.
The inspections were carried out in line with National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Memorandum Nos. 204 and 148, directing the conduct of a comprehensive risk and damage assessment for possible inclusion of local government proposals in the KRDP.
The plan aims to strengthen recovery efforts and resilience of communities affected by the June and December 2024 eruptions of Kanlaon.
In La Carlota City, the IMT met with water district General Manager Homer Bermudo to discuss the restoration of the city’s water supply.
Bermudo explained that the spring source was severely affected by the eruptions, causing a significant drop in supply.
He emphasized the urgent need for an alternative water source to meet the basic needs of residents.
Meanwhile, in Moises Padilla, officials from OCD-NIR were welcomed by Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, Vice Mayor Pimpoy Yulo, and other officials to inspect the proposed site of a bridge project.
Garcia-Yulo expressed her gratitude for the visit, stressing that the bridge is vital for disaster preparedness.
She noted that the project would not only facilitate faster evacuation during emergencies but also improve access for responders in times of volcanic activity./CJ, WDJ