OCD formulating evacuation plans for Kanlaon-hit LGUs

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is working with local government units (LGUs) around Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island to formulate evacuation plans that will be executed should the volcano’s alert status escalate.

OCD-Negros Island Region (NIR) Director Donato Sermeno III said the Regional Incident Management Team is gathering data in affected LGUs as part of the process.

“Right now, one of the things we are thoroughly working on is the evacuation plan of every LGU. The contingency plan is different,” he told reporters.

Sermeno said that OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno wants specific responses for affected individuals, such as where to proceed during a major eruption and which vehicle will transport them upon reaching the collection point.

In his previous visit to Negros Occidental, Nepomuceno said the OCD is preparing for the possible escalation of the alert status of Mt. Kanlaon, from the current Alert Level 3 to Level 4, which will require the evacuation of an additional 100,000 persons within the extended 10-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ).

More than 1,700 families, whose homes are located within the six-kilometer PDZ, are currently staying in 13 evacuation centers, mostly in La Castellana town, as well as in the cities of La Carlota and Bago.

Aside from the three LGUs, San Carlos City has also signified its intention to put up a relocation or resettlement site for some residents of Barangay Codcod.

La Carlota City needs to look for other sites since the initial areas in the villages of Haguimit, San Miguel and La Granja would be hit by pyroclastic density currents in case of a stronger eruption.

La Castellana, on the other hand, has identified sites in the villages of Talaptap and Lalagsan that have passed the parameters, while Bago City has its own relocation site near the coastline but would look for an alternative, if necessary.

Sermeno said the concerns of the LGUs in establishing resettlement sites would be referred to the National Task Force Kanlaon, which oversees and coordinates all government programs, activities and projects to reduce the impact of volcanic activities and hasten the recovery of affected communities.* (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)