More than 10K residents evacuate amid Kanlaon eruption

More than 10,000 residents in Negros Occidental have been evacuated following the eruption of the Kanlaon Volcano on Monday afternoon.

According to a 24 Oras report by Aileen Pedreso on Tuesday, data from the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), the following areas currently have the following number of evacuees:

• La Castellana: 7,294
• Bago City: 1,486
• La Carlota City: 1,258
• Pontevedra: 722
• Moises Padilla: 36

Despite the dangers, a lot of residents near the volcano chose to stay in their homes despite the risk posed by zero-visibility ashfall.

The Department of Public Works and Highways have begun flushing operations at Barangay Ara-al, where residents are most affected.

“Kaya nga hindi kami lumalabas kasi may epekto sa dibdib ko. Masakit ang aking likod. Bukas bababa kami,” said 60-year old resident Corazon Gonzales.

(That’s why we don’t go out because it affects my chest. My back hurts. We will go down tomorrow.)

“Nakapanghihina kasi nangyari na naman ‘to. Maghihintay naman kami kung kailan makaka-recover,” added resident Yanyan Langote, whose carabaos have also been affected.

(It’s disheartening that this is happening again. We will just wait for the time when we will be able to recover.)

In Barangay La Castellana, more than 7,000 evacuees were placed in 10 evacuation centers while others decided to remain in their homes.

“Nagmamatyag rin kami. Kung sakaling magpatuloy ang [pagputok ng] bulkan, sasakay lang kami sa aming carry. Tiwala lang,” said resident Tessie Homboy.

(We are observing too. If the [explosion of] the volcano continues, we will ride our carry. We will just trust on it.)

“Anong magagawa natin kasi alanganin na, nagmamadali ang may-ari [ng pinagtratabahuhan kong tubuhan]. Kinakabahan rin kami. Ready lang,” added resident Christy Sumaghay.

(What else can we do since it’s already like this, the owner [of the sugar cane farm where I work with] is already rushing. We are already nervous. We have to get ready.)

Kanlaon Volcano is expected to have a hazardous eruption over the next following weeks.

“Ang Alert Level 3 po ay nangangahulugan ng posibilidad na magkaroon ng hazardous eruption in the following weeks,” Bacolcol told Unang Balita in an interview.

(Alert Level 3 means there is a possibility of a hazardous eruption in the following weeks.)

“Pinapayuhan natin ang ating mga residente na huwag munang pumasok sa six-kilometer danger zone. Kahapon, it was an explosion, a strong explosion kahapon ang nangyari,” he added.

(We advise our residents not to enter the six-kilometer danger zone. Yesterday, it was an explosion, a strong explosion.)

The volcano is currently at Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) following the recent eruption at around 3:03 p.m. on Monday. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News