Around 87,000 residents in the areas surrounding Mount Kanlaon, which erupted afternoon on Monday, December 9, 2024, were evacuated, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), says a report by GMA Integrated News' Vince Angelo Ferreras.
Evacuation centers have been established in 11 barangays in Negros Occidental:
- Barangay Lag-asan, Bago City, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Tabao, Sagay City, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Rizal, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
- Barrio Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Sibucao, San Enrique, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Ill, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
- Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental
- Barangay Cubay, La Carlota, Negros Occidental
- Sitio Canlayuhan, Barangay Gil Montilla, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
“The gravity of the situation is particularly acute in La Castellana, where an estimated 46,900 individuals are within the 4-6 km danger zone. Authorities are focusing on Barangay Sag-ang due to prevailing westward wind directions, which pose additional risks from ashfall,” the OCD said in a statement.
“In preparation for the worst-case scenario, Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City has been designated as the primary evacuation center, with the capacity to accommodate up to 30,000 evacuees,” the agency also said.
Kanlaon erupted at 3:03 p.m. which produced a voluminous plume that rose to 3,000 meters above the vent and drifted west-southwest.
PHIVOLCS has raised the alert level to three.
