OCD warns of lahar flow in 13 Negros areas

BACOLOD CITY - The Office of Civil Defense has warned of a potential lahar hazard flow from Kanlaon, which may endanger 644,487 residents in 13 cities and municipalities on Negros Island, as some areas near the volcano experienced rainfall.

- By GILBERT BAYORAN and BELLA CARIASO

Citing a hazard map issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the OCD identified these areas as the cities of Bago, La Carlota and Himamaylan and the towns of Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Valladolid, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana and Moises Padilla – all in Negros Occidental – and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

Phivolcs had warned of an increased risk of ashfall turning into lahar as it expects the development of a low-pressure area in the coming weeks.

It said the identified areas are likely to be affected by lahar flow from the estimated three million metric tons of ash deposits after the Dec. 9 eruption – a volume that is three times greater than the ash deposits recorded in June.