AN “explosive eruption” occurred yesterday in Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island, four months after a similar volcanic activity that has so far displaced nearly 20,000 persons.
The eruption lasted from 5:51 to 6:47 a.m. and produced a 4,000-meter plume which drifted southwest, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Several barangays experienced ashfall, including in La Carlota City, Bago City, and La Castellana town, all in Negros Occidental, said Task Force Kanlaon of the Office of Civil Defense.
The volcano remains under Alert Level 3, meaning it has a high level of volcanic unrest.
“Pyroclastic density currents or PDCs descended the slopes on the general southern edifice based on IP (internet protocol) and thermal camera monitors,” Phivolcs said in an advisory.
Phivolcs raised Alert Level 3 shortly after the volcano had an explosive eruption on December 9. The permanent danger zone was extended to six from four kilometers following the explosion.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said some 6,180 families or 19,899 individuals remain displaced as of April 5 due to the December 9 eruption.
Of the displaced population, 2,606 families or 8,316 individuals are housed in 22 evacuation centers while 3,574 families or 11,583 individuals are staying with relatives and friends.
The NDRRMC said about P258 million worth of assistance has been provided to those affected.
The eruption’s cost of damage to agriculture was placed at P129.39 million, the NDRRMC also said.
Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol implied the number of displaced is not expected to rise.
“After the December 9 eruption, we recommended the extension (of the permanent danger zone) to six kilometers, so the people inside the six-kilometer danger zone are no longer there,” he said in a radio interview.
Bacolcol said they have three scenarios after yesterday’s eruption, including slow rise of lava to the summit crater and its subsequent flow.
“If this happens, this would probably take several months,” he said.
The second scenario, he said, is the eruption will become worse. “If this happens, we may raise the alert level from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 4,” he said.
The third scenario, he said, is the easing of volcanic activities. “If this happens, we may lower alert level from 3 to 2,” he said.
Bacolcol said yesterday’s activity “is comparable to the December 9 eruption,” with both incidents having “the same plume height.”
He also said Phivolcs has recorded only two volcanic earthquakes in the past two days, and the volcano had less sulfur dioxide emission in the past days.
ASSISTANCE
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) affected by the latest eruption.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian over 250,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) have already been prepositioned in the warehouses of DSWD’s field offices in the Western Visayas and Central Visayas regions.
“Help is coming their way, so the first thing that they should prioritize is their safety. We will see to it that all our resources will be pooled to also assure their comfort,” he said.
Gatchalian also said following the latest eruption, “we expect the numbers of evacuees may spike again, but we are ready.”
DWSD records show that as of yesterday, affected families have been given some P230.6 million worth of food and non-food items — P128 million from the DSWD, P30 million from LGUs, P33 million from non-government organizations, and P38 million from other partners. The non-food items include kitchen kit, family kit, sleeping kit, hygiene kit, and laminated sacks, among others. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
