MANILA – An urgent evacuation operation for approximately 87,000 residents is ongoing following the explosive eruption of Mount Kanlaon on Monday afternoon.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), have activated the Inter-agency Coordinating Cell (IACC) for coordinated response efforts.

The situation is most critical in La Castellana, where 46,900 individuals are within the 6-kilometer danger zone. Authorities are closely monitoring Barangay Sag-ang due to westward wind patterns carrying ashfall. Evacuations are also prioritized in Barangay Cabagnaan and several towns, including Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Pontevedra, and Moises Padilla.

A staging area has been set up at La Castellana’s municipal hall, with schools converted into evacuation centers. For a worst-case scenario, Bacolod City’s Panaad Stadium has been designated as the primary evacuation hub, capable of sheltering up to 30,000 people.

The OCD is prepositioning essential supplies such as water tanks, 2,100 face masks, and 1,000 family hygiene kits in Bacolod City. Requests have also been made for a water filtration truck.

Ashfall and sulfuric odors have been reported in Guimaras and Bago City, where additional support and face masks are urgently needed. Forced evacuations in Negros Oriental are affecting around 5,000 residents in five barangays within the danger zone.

Task Force Kanlaon, led by Regional Director Raul Fernandez, is overseeing the multi-agency operations in Western and Central Visayas, supported by military units from the 303rd and 302nd Infantry Divisions.

Evacuation centers have been set up in key areas, including:

Barangay Lag-asan, Bago City
Barangay Tabao, Sagay City
Barangay Rizal, San Carlos City
Barrio Vista Alegre, Bacolod City
Barangay Hilamonan, Kabankalan City

The immediate priority is the safety and health of evacuees, with continuous efforts to provide face masks, food packs, and mobile kitchens. The IACC will coordinate response efforts from Bago City to ensure effective monitoring and support.

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