MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense appealed to officials of the local governments of Bago and La Castellana in Negros Occidental to reconsider their decision allowing over 4,000 evacuees to return to their homes located outside the 6-kilometer extended danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon.
Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), urged local officials in the two towns to reassess their decision.
“We must take anticipatory actions to prepare for the worst-case scenario of a more violent eruption. Achieving zero casualties is our utmost priority,” he said. “The safety of our citizens must come first,” he added.
Nepomuceno made the appeal as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned of the possibility of raising the alert status of Kanlaon Volcano to alert level 4.
Should this occur, the permanent danger zone may be extended from 6 kilometers to 10 kilometers.
Recent scientific data indicates significant inflation in the upper sections of the volcano’s edifice.
The Upper Pantao Observation Station has reported concerning electronic tilt measurements, indicating inflation on the southeastern flank since December 2024, alongside a deflation trend on the western flank.
A drastic reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions from an average of 5,673 tonnes per day to 2,029 tonnes has been observed since January 9, 2025. These indicators strongly suggest a sudden pressurization within the volcano, raising the risk of a potential eruption.
Nepomuceno reiterated the need to ensure the safety of citizens who have returned home.
“We are strongly concerned about the potential for pyroclastic density currents traveling at speeds of 30 to 600 kilometers per hour; no resident in the danger zone can escape this,” he warned.
Nepomuceno earlier appealed to residents living outside the six-kilometer extended danger zone to evacuate.
“We want no casualties in the event of an eruption,” he said.
He said the OCD remains committed to providing continuous support and assistance to those affected by the extended evacuation.
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