• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mandatory evacuation has been ordered while classes have been suspended yesterday in local government units surrounding Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island, following the advisory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on the volcano’s increased seismic activity.
Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas issued Executive Order 63 for the mandatory evacuation of residents and suspension of classes within the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
In Negros Occidental, San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo prohibited human activity within the six-kilometer radius as residents continuously experience ground shaking and smell sulfur stench due to the ongoing volcano activity.
In its advisory, Phivolcs said Mt. Kanlaon logged 288 volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes since midnight of Sept. 10.
VT earthquakes are generated by rock fracturing processes and the increase in VT activity strongly indicates progressive rock-fracturing beneath the volcano as rising magma drives a path towards the surface.
It said that the events were generated between zero and nine kilometers depths beneath the north-eastern flanks of the volcanic edifice and the strongest events were felt at Intensity II in some barangays of Canlaon City.
In Negros Occidental, rumbling sounds were also reported by some residents of Bago City, with strong sulfur fumes reported in several barangays also of Bago and La Carlota City, and in Canlaon City as well.
Phivolcs raised the possibility that the current seismic activity may lead to eruptive unrest and an increase in the alert level.
As of this time, Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest) prevails over Mt. Kanlaon.
In an advisory, the San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said that schools in areas affected by the recent ground shakings may suspend classes, or keep their learners safe in school, and coordinate with their parents to go to safer zones away from the areas where danger is imminent.
Classes in all levels, both in public and private schools, in La Castellana, Negros Occidental were also suspended. | GB
