ILOILO City – In anticipation of a possible escalation of Mount Kanlaon’s Alert Level from 3 to 4, Task Force Kanlaon has started setting up family tents in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental as part of its worst-case scenario preparations.
According to Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 spokesperson Maria Cristina I. Mayor, their central office has delivered 1,350 tents, prompting Task Force Kanlaon and concerned local government units (LGUs) to begin constructing a “tent city” in Barangay III (Poblacion), Himamaylan City.
As of Wednesday, January 29, 40 out of 395 family tents allocated for Barangay III have been installed, with the setup ongoing as of January 30.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Kanlaon, released an increased amount of sulfur dioxide on January 27 – 4,653.9 tons, surpassing the 3,267 tons measured on January 26.
It also reported 22 volcanic earthquakes from Monday to Tuesday midnight, along with a voluminous plume that rose 900 meters above the summit and drifted southwest.
In addition, three ash emission events were observed during the monitoring period, with durations ranging from five to 44 minutes, added Phivolcs.
To ensure comfort for future evacuees, Task Force Kanlaon and the Himamaylan City government are also establishing common comfort rooms and sanitation areas, a drainage system to prevent flooding, a livestock area, and a designated space for children to continue their studies.
In addition to Barangay III, Task Force Kanlaon and Himamaylan City are developing three more sites within the city for additional tent cities.
Aside from Himamaylan City, Task Force Kanlaon, led by OCD-6 director Raul Fernandez, has identified Pontevedra in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental as additional locations for tent cities. However, the exact number of tents for these areas has yet to be determined, as site assessments are still ongoing.
“So far, out of the 1,350 delivered tents, we have started developing the site in Himamaylan City, which will accommodate 395 tents. As of yesterday, 40 have already been set up, and the installation is ongoing,” Mayor said on Thursday morning, January 30.
Priority for Evacuees
Mayor clarified that priority for the tent city in Himamaylan and Pontevedra will be given to evacuees from La Castellana, as the municipality’s evacuation centers will also be affected if Mount Kanlaon’s status escalates to Alert Level 4.
“If the alert level escalates, our priority will be to accommodate evacuees from La Castellana since their evacuation centers may also be affected. That’s why we are looking at relocating them,” Mayor explained.
The tent city may also cater to evacuees from other municipalities or cities if necessary.
Meanwhile, Bago City and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental have identified evacuation centers in case Alert Level 4 is raised.
Mayor added that if Mount Kanlaon escalates to Alert Level 4, the permanent danger zone will be extended to 10 kilometers from the crater due to the risk of pyroclastic density currents.
The volcano remains under Alert Level 3, indicating intensified magmatic unrest. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has prohibited aircraft from flying close to the 8,087-foot volcano.
Authorities have warned the public of potential hazards, including:
* sudden explosive eruptions
* lava flows or effusions
* ashfall
* pyroclastic density currents
* rockfalls
* lahars during heavy rainfall
Residents and local authorities are advised to remain vigilant and follow updates from Phivolcs.
Earlier, the OCD considered unoccupied super typhoon Yolanda housing projects in Negros Occidental as potential relocation sites for those displaced by Mount Kanlaon’s activity.
Task Force Kanlaon chief Raul Fernandez has requested an inventory of housing projects in cities such as Cadiz, Escalante, and Bacolod, while also preparing agreements with LGUs to use facilities like schools as evacuation centers./PN
