MANILA, Philippines — About 87,000 residents living within the six-kilometer danger zone of Mount Kanlaon on Negros island were being evacuated yesterday, a day after the volcano briefly erupted with a towering ash plume and superhot streams of gas and debris hurtling down its western slopes.

The latest eruption did not cause any immediate casualties, but the alert level was raised to level three, indicating further and more explosive eruptions may occur.

Volcanic ash fell on a wide area, including Antique, more than 200 kilometers across seawaters west of the volcano, obscuring visibility and posing health risks, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) chief volcanologist Teresito Bacolcol and other officials said by telephone.

At least six domestic flights and a flight bound for Singapore were canceled and two local flights were diverted in the region Monday and Tuesday due to Kanlaon’s eruption, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

The mass evacuations were being carried out urgently in towns and villages nearest the western and southern slopes of Kanlaon which were blanketed by ash, including in La Castellana town in Negros Occidental, the Office of Civil Defense said.

More than 6,000 have moved to evacuation centers, aside from those who have temporarily transferred to the homes of relatives in La Castellana by Tuesday morning, the town’s mayor, Rhumyla Mangilimutan, told The Associated Press by telephone.

President Marcos said authorities were ready to provide support to large numbers of displaced villagers and that his social welfare secretary flew early Tuesday to the affected region.

“We are ready to support the families who have been evacuated outside the six-kilometer danger zone,” Marcos told reporters.

Government scientists were monitoring the air quality due to the risk of contamination from toxic volcanic gases that may require more people to be evacuated from areas affected by Monday’s eruption.

Disaster-response contingents were rapidly establishing evacuation centers and seeking supplies of face masks, food and hygiene packs. Authorities also shut schools and imposed a nighttime curfew in the most vulnerable areas.

Alert level 3

PHIVOLCS has warned of even stronger explosive eruptions at Kanlaon volcano following Monday’s eruption.

The agency has recommended the evacuation of communities within the six-kilometer radius of Kanlaon volcano due to risks of more eruptions and other volcanic activity that may pose danger to residents.

“Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) has now been raised over Kanlaon Volcano. This means that there are increased chances for sudden and even stronger explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities at risk with life-threatening volcanic hazards,” it said in an advisory.

State volcanologists added there are also dangers of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls and other related hazards.

Barangays of La Castellana and Canlaon City have already been impacted by PDCs, which are hazardous mixtures of hot volcanic gas, ash and fragmented rock, after the eruption. PDCs reached two to 3.4 kilometers in Masulog in La Castellana, which is still within the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone.

An explosive eruption was recorded at the summit vent of the volcano at 3:03 p.m. on Monday, lasting three minutes and 55 seconds and produced a voluminous plume that rapidly rose to 4,000 meters above the vent.

Ashfall was reported in 26 cities and municipalities in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Antique and Guimaras. Sulfuric smells were also reported in some barangays in Negros.

PHIVOLCS said a strong pressure or shockwave as a loud booming sound was experienced within the 30-kilometer radius of the volcano.

The Kanlaon Volcano Network recorded the pressure wave at 150 Pa or 138 decibels sound pressure level, which is harmful to human hearing.

PHIVOLCS reminded residents near Kanlaon to remain alert and vigilant as hazardous eruptions may still happen in the coming weeks.

PHIVOLCS director Bacolcol told “Storycon” on One News that the volcano is still under Alert Level 3 despite fewer activities recorded on Tuesday.

Only a small eruption was recorded in Kanlaon on Tuesday, while only five volcanic earthquakes were recorded from midnight to noon.

“We always say… that the mindset should not be about lowering the alert level. They should assume that the alert level might be raised further to avoid becoming complacent,” he said in Filipino.

Forced evacuation

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) is now looking to forcibly evacuate some 54,000 residents living within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of the Kanlaon, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. told reporters yesterday.

“Actually, it’s not pre-emptive, it’s forced. We are pleading with the residents. I mean even if its forced, we need to ask the people. There must be balance, but yes it’s forced,” Teodoro said.

“We are expecting a total of 54,000 people, we are just busy providing adequate provisions to those who already evacuated. We are talking with Governor (Eugenio Jose) Lacson, Vice Governor (Jeffrey) Ferrer of Negros Occidental and Governor (Manuel Sagarbarría) of Negros Oriental,” Teodoro, who also chairs the NDRRMC, said.

If the alert level is further increased, the danger zone will also expand to 10 kilometers, which may mean more communities will have to be forcibly evacuated or moved to safer areas.

Out of 87,000 residents living within the six-kilometer danger zone of Kanlaon volcano, only 9,177 persons or 2,697 families have sought shelter as of 10 a.m. yesterday, prompting authorities to enlist the help of police to compel the forced evacuation after Monday’s eruption.

Gov. Lacson said the evacuated residents will stay a minimum of three weeks at the designated evacuation centers. Lacson activated all response clusters to facilitate emergency response and humanitarian assistance.

He added that Negros Occidental will declare a state of calamity within this week to allow the provincial government to use its P78-million Quick Response Fund.

In a worst-case scenario, the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City will be used as the main evacuation center.

Government aid

The government is prepared to assist thousands of residents displaced by the recent eruption of Mount Kanlaon in Negros island, President Marcos assured the public on Tuesday.

He said food packs and other essential items are ready for over 80,000 affected residents.

“We’re ready. We know what to do and we have already started to send food packs, and we already started to send all of the things that we (need to) bring to those who are in evacuation centers,” he said.

Marcos said Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian also arrived in Negros Island to oversee the ongoing relief efforts.

Gatchalian said yesterday that more than 1.4 million family food packs (FFPs) have been prepared by the agency for the affected families.

Marcos added that the Department of Budget and Management also assured that funds are sufficient for the relief assistance to families.

Government personnel are closely monitoring the air quality in affected areas. If the level of toxic gases being emitted by volcano become dangerousmoonrich88, the government might evacuate more people, Marcos added. — Michael Punongbayan, Helen Flores, Evelyn Macairan, Sheila Crisostomo, Mayen Jaymalin, Rudy Santos, Janvic Mateo

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