By CESAR JOLITO III
At least 195 residents from 60 families across several local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental were displaced following a renewed explosive eruption from Kanlaon Volcano, prompting evacuations, class suspensions and heightened monitoring.
Evacuations were carried out on Thursday night, February 19, in two barangays considered at higher risk, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said.
Widespread light to very light ashfall, accompanied by sulfuric odor, affected 41 barangays in Bago City, Pontevedra, La Castellana, La Carlota City, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Valladolid, and San Enrique.
In La Carlota, 34 families or 115 individuals were evacuated from Barangay Ara-al, while Bago City reported 26 families or 80 individuals displaced from Barangay Ilijan.
All affected residents are currently staying in evacuation centers managed by their respective LGUs.
PDRRMO chief Irene Bel Ploteña said the evacuations were precautionary, stressing that the impact of the eruption was limited.
“There was only light ashfall and no major damage, unlike previous incidents,” Ploteña said.
She also said evacuees from Barangay Ilijan have begun returning to their homes.
Ploteña reiterated that the four-kilometer permanent danger zone remains cleared of residents, with communities within this area evacuated prior to the latest eruption.
She said there were no reports of contaminated water sources, but a provincial water filtration truck was deployed to La Carlota City to provide potable water at evacuation centers.
The PDRRMO also reported temporary communication interruptions starting 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, in Hinigaran and Pontevedra, with restoration efforts ongoing.
As a precaution, classes at all levels were suspended yesterday in La Carlota, La Castellana and Moises Padilla, where schools shifted to alternative delivery modes.
Standby measures
The Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) said LGUs surrounding Kanlaon — including La Castellana, Bago City, La Carlota City, and Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City — were earlier advised to prepare for possible preemptive evacuations following the eruption.
OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III explained that initial assessments raised concerns that volcanic activity could intensify and potentially lead to Alert Level 3.
However, the eruption lasted only about two minutes, and gas emissions quickly subsided.
“As of now, Alert Level 2 remains, and there is no preemptive evacuation,” Sermeno said, adding that OCD-NIR has advised LGUs to stand down from evacuation preparations but continue readiness measures and public information campaigns.
Sermeno said evacuation data being consolidated by OCD-NIR include 47 families from Canlaon City, 62 families initially identified in La Castellana, and 22 families from Bago City, later increased by 25 more families evacuated due to geographic isolation and recurring risk during volcanic events.
Monitoring parameters
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2, indicating ongoing unrest but no imminent large-scale eruption.
Kanlaon Observatory resident volcanologist Mari-Andylene Quintia said Phivolcs continues to closely monitor sulfur dioxide emissions, seismic activity, ground deformation, and visual observations to assess the volcano’s magmatic system.
She noted that sulfur dioxide emissions are currently averaging around 2,000 tons per day, significantly lower than the 10,000 tons per day recorded during the 2024 eruptive episode that prompted Alert Level 3.
Seismic monitoring also shows fewer perceptible earthquakes compared to past escalation phases.
Ground deformation data indicate sustained but gradual inflation, suggesting magma movement at depth but not at a rate that would signal immediate escalation.
Quintia added that while ballistic projectiles or hot rocks can be produced during eruptions, none were visually confirmed during the latest event due to daylight conditions./CJ, WDJ