• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Fifty-one families or 167 individuals were evacuated from parts of La Castellana, Negros Occidental and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on Tuesday, Sept. 15 following a muddy stream flow from the upper portions of Kanlaon Volcano amid heavy rains.
La Castellana Mayor Añejo Nicor said 27 families, comprising 96 individuals, from Barangay Biak-na-Bato were brought to the barangay hall, where they were provided with food and other assistance.
He said the residents were advised not to return home until the situation normalizes.
The muddy flow originated from the upper portions of Kanlaon Volcano.
Although there was no rain in Barangay Biak-na-Bato at the time and weather conditions were only cloudy, rainfall at higher elevations caused the muddy stream to swell and move toward lower-lying areas.
Meanwhile, Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) Director Donato Sermeno III said 24 families or 71 individuals were preemptively evacuated from Barangays Panubigan and Masulog in Canlaon City due to the muddy stream flow.
The evacuations followed the heavy rainfall brought by the intertropical convergence zone that affected parts of Negros on Sept. 15.
The Canlaon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported moderate to heavy, and at times intense rain showers accompanied by lightning and strong winds in Vallehermoso, Canlaon City and Guihulngan.
Sermeno urged residents in areas vulnerable to flooding and mudflows to follow the advisories of local government units and evacuate preemptively when warnings are issued.
The OCD-NIR is also considering deploying drones to monitor the upper portions of Kanlaon Volcano and determine whether debris or other obstructions may have artificially dammed water and contributed to the muddy stream flow. | GPB
