The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has declared the evacuation of residents near Mount Kanlaon on Negros Island as a top priority following the volcano’s explosive eruption. The eruption, visible from La Castellana in Negros Occidental, prompted immediate action from the authorities.
Defense Secretary and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairman Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. has directed swift response measures, emphasizing the urgent evacuation of affected residents to prevent any casualties. The OCD’s regional directors in Western Visayas (Region 6) and Central Visayas (Region 7) are spearheading these crucial operations.
It is projected that around 12,000 families, totaling approximately 54,000 individuals, will be impacted across these regions. Emergency evacuation efforts are in full swing to ensure the safety of these families.
An emergency meeting was convened on Monday afternoon by officials from the OCD, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and other relevant agencies. This meeting took place even as evacuation procedures were being implemented for residents within a six-kilometer radius of the volcano.
The eruption resulted in a significant volcanic plume rising to about 3,000 meters above the volcano’s summit. Additionally, pyroclastic density currents were observed flowing down the southeastern slopes of the volcano.
In response to the crisis, the OCD’s Incident Action Command Center is being reactivated. This center will include representatives from the health, social welfare, and local government departments to coordinate the ongoing response efforts.