4,000 Kanlaon evacuees return home but danger zone residents stay

By Lorenzo O. Lambatin, Jr.

BACOLOD CITY – Approximately 4,000 residents of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, who were evacuated following Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption on June 3, have been allowed to return home.

However, families living within the four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) must remain in evacuation centers due to ongoing volcanic activity.

Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer John Asis reported that the returning evacuees, comprising 1,400 families, were transported back to their respective barangays and provided with relief packs.

Asis emphasized the importance of vigilance, noting that the volcano remains active and could erupt again at any moment. He also warned residents about the potential contamination of locally sourced water.

To address water safety concerns, La Castellana municipality is delivering 3,000 to 4,000 liters of drinking water to barangays Mansalanao, Cabagna-an, and Biak-na-Bato.

This effort is supported by the Philippine Red Cross, which provides chlorinated water, and the Office of the Civil Defense, which supplies a filtering truck.

In preparation for potential future eruptions, Asis assured that the local government has 15 trucks and eight light vehicles ready for emergency response.

Additionally, sugarcane truck owners have committed five trucks, and the provincial government will deploy two Ceres liner buses to assist affected families.

“I am appealing to the people of La Castellana to always be prepared in case of another eruption or any other hazards by having a go bag containing clothes, flashlights, food supplies, money, and other essential things. Above all, let us all pray for our safety,” Asis said.

Meanwhile, La Castellana Information Officer Remue Lajo stated that 16 families, comprising 52 individuals living within the PDZ, remain in evacuation centers located in covered courts in barangays Masulog and Biak-na-Bato.

These families are not yet permitted to return to their homes due to the continued threat posed by the volcano. (PIA)