Mandatory evacuation ordered amid Kanlaon Volcano eruption

Canlaon City, Negros Oriental Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas has ordered early Tuesday morning the mandatory evacuation of residents living within three meters from the river downstream of Kanlaon Volcano.

"The rivers downstream from the volcano are at risk of flash floods, mudflows, and other hazards due to volcanic ash deposition and potential lahars," said Cardenas in Executive Order No. 36.

Earlier, Cardenas ordered residents of barangays of Masulog, Pula, Lumapao and Malaiba to go to evacuation centers and bring water, food, and utensils.

As of 10 p.m., there are 22 households or 81 individuals evacuated from Barangay Pula and transferred to Macario Espanola Memorial School.

Tourism sites in Canlaon City were also ordered closed.

"This action is essential to safeguard the lives and well-being of residents and visitors alike and at the same time, all access roads leading to these sites shall be closed, and entry by any means shall be strictly prohibited until further notice," said Cardenas in Executive Order No. 35.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the Alert Level alarm to Alert Level 2 by 8 p.m. on Monday after Kanlaon Volcano erupted, emitting plumes that rose to 5,000 meters. Alert Level 2 means the volcano's increased unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes could eventually lead to “further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.”

Forty-three volcanic earthquakes occurred at Kanlaon Volcano since Monday midnight, PHIVOLCS said Tuesday morning.

In response to the Alert level 2, Negros Oriental Governor Chaco Sagarbarria rallied for the activation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Cluster to mitigate the unfolding emergency situation and critical simulations arising from the recorded incident.

An emergency meeting was held at the Capitol and officials discussed "the provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety, and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected."

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) of Negros Occidental has placed the province under "Blue Alert."

"The PDRRMC Emergency Operations Center has now been raised to Blue Alert. The response clusters, including Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Food and Non-Food, Logistics, Search, Rescue and Retrieval, Health, and Law and Order, have been activated to handle the emergency situation," said Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose "Bong" Villarreal Lacson.

"For those in areas that might need evacuation, please follow evacuation orders. To all those affected, please coordinate with your barangays and LGUs, and stay informed through official channels. With proper coordination and information, we will be able to manage this situation," he added.

La Carlota City, Negros Occidental Mayor Rex Jalando-on said evacuation has begun and that vehicles are available for the affected residents.

In La Castellana, Negros Occidental there are about 30 evacuees at the Cabacungan Elementary School.

San Carlos City, Negros Occidental Mayor Renato Y. Gustilo has ordered residents to use face masks.

"In light of the recent eruption of Canlaon Volcano and the possibility of ashfall reaching our area, we urge all residents to take precautionary measures to protect your health and well-being. As a safety protocol, it is now mandatory for all individuals to wear face masks whenever venturing outside," he said.

Some flights were canceled on Tuesday, June 4, due to the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, airport authorities said.

Since 1866, all of Kanlaon's eruptions, except one, were phreatic in nature. 

According to the United States Geological Survey, a phreatic eruption is made up of "steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by volcanic activity. The water, once heated, begins to boil or can even flash straight to steam, causing an explosion." 

In 1902, Kanlaon had a strombolian eruption, which is a "moderately explosive eruption of basaltic magma with moderate gas content," the National Parks Service said. — BAP/KG, GMA Integrated News