BACOLOD City – Damage to agriculture due to the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano has breached P104.8 million.
Director Edgar Posadas, spokesperson for the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), on Thursday, June 13, said the affected areas are 20 barangays in Negros Occidental in Region 6 (Western Visayas) and five barangays in Region 7 (Central Visayas), impacting 8,580 families or 29,739 individuals.
Data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) further showed that majority of the agricultural damage is composed of high-value crops, which amounts to 3,890.5 metric tons in losses.
High-value crops include carrots, onion, garlic, squash, and bitter melon.
Other agricultural commodities affected include rice, corn, livestock, and poultry.
The DA also logged 118 animal losses, which included cattle, carabao, goat, horse, and swine.
An evacuation center in barangays Panubingan and Linothangan in Negros Oriental were identified as animal relocation spots.
Posadas said OCD has so far distributed P11.346 million worth of aid.
“Meron po tayong nakabukas na evacuation centers ngayon, total in eight, sa Region 6 lahat,” Posadas said. “These evacuation centers are catering to 1,309 na mga pamilya or 4,705 na mga indibidwal.”
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has maintained Alert Level 2 for Kanlaon, indicating ongoing unrest that could lead to further explosive eruptions.
PHIVOLCS said that under this level, there is a probable intrusion of magma at depth, which may or may not lead to magmatic eruption.
A four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) has been enforced around the volcano, covering several barangays in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, including Ara-al, Yubo, Sag-ang, Mansalanao, Cabagnaan, Biaknabato, Minoyan, Codcod, Pula, and Lumapao.
La Castellana in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental are still under a state of calamity due to the effect brought by the eruption of Kanlaon, an active stratovolcano and the highest mountain on Negros island, on June 3./PN
