A total of 11,564 people or 3,428 families are now in evacuation centers after Alert Level 3 was raised over Kanlaon Volcano following its eruption on Monday, the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said on Wednesday.
“Kahapon po, around 2 p.m. na report po, naka-record po tayo ng a total of 3,428 na mga pamilya or 11,564 individuals po na nasa loob po ng mga evacuation centers ng mga [local government units],” Negros Occidental PDRRMO information officer Bryll Larry Sañor told Unang Balita in an interview.
(Yesterday, based on the 2 p.m. report, we recorded a total of 3,428 families or 11,564 individuals who are inside the evacuation centers of the local government units.)
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) advised residents within the six-kilometer danger zone to leave their homes for their safety.
However, Sañor said some people decided to stay at their homes despite the order for mandatory evacuation.
Meanwhile, some residents within the seven-kilometer radius from the volcano were already assisted to leave their houses as a preemptive measure.
PHIVOLCS warned affected residents of possible lahar during downpour. But despite the rains over the volcano, Sañor said authorities have not monitored lahar so far.
The agency also warned that a “hazardous eruption” is possible in the coming weeks.
Following the eruption, Sañor said some residents suffered from hyperventilation, anxiety, and breathing difficulties.
On Monday, Kanlaon Volcano had an explosive eruption that lasted 3 minutes and 55 seconds, according to PHIVOLCS. The volcano had a 4,000 meters eruption column.
Ashfall was reported and pyroclastic density currents or PDCs descended the slopes of the volcano.
Mount Kanlaon continued to display “high activity” recording two ash emission events and 31 volcanic earthquakes in the last 24 hours as of midnight of December 11.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said that the government is ready to assist those affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
Marcos said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already assured him that it is ready to provide necessary resources.
“So yes, we are ready to support the families, who have been evacuated outside the 6-km danger zone,” Marcos said.
—VAL, GMA Integrated News
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