• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Office of Civil Defense said this evening, Dec. 17, that it logged a 100-percent evacuation of residents within Mount Kanlaon’s 6-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) in Negros Occidental, and 98 percent completion in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Currently, 4,757 families, or 15,093 individuals, are seeking shelter in 29 evacuation centers across Negros Island, mostly in Negros Occidental, with an additional 694 families staying with relatives or friends, the OCD said.
“Travel to the Kanlaon eruption-affected areas in Negros is highly discouraged to help manage congestion and ensure the safety and well-being of everyone,” the OCD said in a statement.
It added that with rains brought about by Tropical Depression “Querubin”, displaced individuals in temporary shelters may face additional risks from flooding, strong winds, and landslides. “Heavy rains and potential flooding could delay the delivery of essential relief goods, medical aid, and other services to affected communities.”
The OCD is urging all local government units to implement preparedness and response measures, disseminate relevant warnings and alerts, and plan for the worst-case scenario, including preemptive evacuations and the prepositioning of emergency relief supplies.”
Mount Kanlaon is under Alert Level 3, or high level of volcanic unrest, following explosive eruption on Dec. 9.
The flareup affected 799 schools in Region VI, and 61 schools in Region VII, and impacted 417,528 learners.
All tourist destinations within the six-km danger zone have also been closed, for public safety.
The Department of Energy, meanwhile, cautioned that ashfall could disrupt power transmission lines, leading to possible outages. Authorities are actively coordinating with local electric cooperatives to prepare for potential disruptions, the OCD said, adding the Bureau of Fire Protection has been tasked to assess the power capacity of evacuation centers to ensure that they can adequately support the needs of evacuees.
The government has already mobilized humanitarian assistance amounting to P36,230,083.53, provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government units, and nongovernment organizations, the Regional Task Force Kanlaon said. | CGC
