Kanlaon Volcano eruption forces evacuation of 800 La Castellana residents

More than 800 residents of La Castellana, Negros Occidental were evacuated from their homes following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Monday evening.

Over 10,000 families reside within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) of the active volcano, according to a 24 Oras report by Aileen Pedroso of GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas.

Among them are Wilma Balsa who last witnessed Mt. Kanlaon’s unrest 50 years ago.

“Twelve (years old) siguro ako noong 1969. Parang dump truck na nag didiskarga ng maraming bato,” said Balsa.

(I was 12 years old in 1969. It was like a dump truck discharging a cargo of rocks.)

“Yumakap ako sa imahen ng aking santo. Malakas ang pagsabog. Apoy ang lumalabas. Hindi ako nag-expect na puputok,” Balsa added.

(I hugged my holy figurines when I heard a loud explosion. Fire was coming out. I did not expect it would erupt.)

Canlaon City in Negros Oriental was placed under a state of calamity due to the volcanic eruption. Meanwhile, the local government of the municipality of La Castellana, Negros Occidental also recommended the declaration.

“Siyempre, hindi tayo magpapakampante dahil baka biglain tayo like sa Taal, like kagabi na nangyari. Wala man lang kaming advice,” said La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan.

(We won’t be complacent because it might turn out like Taal (Volcano) with last night’s eruption. We had no advisory whatsoever.)

“So, nag-convene kami at nag- (recommend) ng state of calamity (declaration),” she said.

(We immediately convened and recommended the declaration of a state of calamity.)

On Monday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said Kanlaon Volcano emitted plumes that rose to 5,000 meters. The eruption began at 6:51 p.m. with the volcano sending a vertical plume into the atmosphere. The eruption lasted 6 minutes and was followed by a relatively strong volcanic-tectonic earthquake

Ashes covered the roofs of residential areas while some residents complained of skin irritation.

PHIVOLCS said Alert Level 3 is a possibility.

“May posibilidad pero nakadepende pa rin sa data na ibibigay. Kasi ang Alert Level 3, high level na. Nakadepende pa rin sa kung gaano karami ng seismic signal, kung tataas kaya,” said Phivolcs Senior Research Assistant Ptolemy Mañego.

(There’s a possibility but that depends on the data. Alert Level 3 is a high level. It depends on the seismic signals on whether they would increase.)

Since 1866, all of Kanlaon's eruptions, with a lone exception, were phreatic in nature. In 1902, Kanlaon had a strombolian eruption, which is a "moderately explosive eruption of basaltic magma with moderate gas content." —Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News