HIGH ALERT. A plume rises during the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Monday (Dec. 9, 2024). Soldiers from the Visayas Command’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) teams are on high alert and coordinating with local disaster councils to assist communities near the volcano on Negros Island. (Photo courtesy of Viscom PIO | PNA)
The Philippine government assured the public on Tuesday, December 10, that it is prepared to handle the potential displacement of 87,000 residents within the 6-kilometer danger zone as Kanlaon Volcano erupted yesterday.
Speaking to reporters, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who arrived in Negros early Tuesday morning, confirmed the availability of sufficient funds, resources, and evacuation centers to accommodate those affected by the volcanic eruption.
“We are ready to support the families who have been evacuated outside the 6-kilometer danger zone,” the President said.
“We know what to do. We have already started to send food packs, and we have already started to send all of the things that we bring to those in evacuation centers,” he added.
According to the Chief Executive, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are closely monitoring air quality to assess the potential risks posed by toxic gas emissions.
He added that further evacuations will be implemented if necessary.
In its Tuesday bulletin, PHIVOLCS reported that Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption on Monday lasted 3 minutes and 55 seconds. The agency also warned that the volcano could potentially experience a hazardous eruption in the coming weeks. (TCSP)
