OCD Lifts Entry Ban into Mt. Kanlaon Extended Danger Zone
BACOLOD CITY — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has lifted the ban on entry from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. into the six-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) around Mt. Kanlaon in Negros, effective Thursday, June 26. This decision allows local residents to return temporarily to their villages within the EDZ.
Donato Sermeno III, director of the OCD for the Negros Island Region and vice chairperson of Task Force Kanlaon, explained that the lifting of the ban permits displaced residents currently staying in evacuation centers to enter the EDZ daily for ten hours. This access enables them to engage in farming and attend to other vital daily activities.
Volcanic Activity and Safety Measures
The suspension was lifted following the latest bulletin from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). From 5 a.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, only four volcanic earthquakes were recorded at Mt. Kanlaon, along with a sulfur dioxide emission of 2,382 tons. Previously, the OCD had imposed the ban on June 24 after an increase in volcanic earthquakes coupled with a notable decline in sulfur dioxide levels.
Phivolcs noted that low sulfur dioxide emissions could indicate blocked volcanic conduits, which could lead to pressure buildup beneath the volcano. Such blockages raise the risk of explosive eruptions due to over-pressurization.
Evacuees Allowed Limited Access for Livelihood
Despite the current Alert Level 3 status of Mt. Kanlaon, meaning magmatic unrest with increased eruption chances, evacuees living outside the EDZ may now enter the zone for up to ten hours daily. This allowance helps them tend to their farms and livestock, providing an essential source of income, especially for their children’s education.
The volcano experienced a moderately explosive eruption at its summit crater on May 13, lasting five minutes. This was the fourth such eruption since June 2024, according to local authorities.
For more news and updates on Mt. Kanlaon volcanic activity, visit Filipinokami.com.