Bacolod City – The Victorias City government is ready to accommodate 500 evacuees from La Carlota City, in case of another eruption of Kanlaon volcano, Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez disclosed recently.
Benitez said a memorandum of agreement is soon to be signed between him and La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalandoon.
The evacuation center in Victorias City will be the temporary shelter for La Carlota City evacuees.
The San Carlos City government has also prepared two sites for evacuees coming from Canlaon City, Negros Occidental, while Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia Yulo signed a MOA with Mayor Filomeno Reyes for the accommodation of Moises Padilla evacuees to Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
A tent city in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, has been earmarked by the Office of the Civil Defense for occupation by La Castellana IDPs.
These are among the preparations of Negros LGUs, should Kanlaon Volcano erupt.
Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, yesterday said that they have also prepared contingency plans in case the Kanlaon Alert Level increases from 3 to 4.
While they have enough personnel to respond to Kanlaon emergency situations, Dumosmog said they still need the help of concerned local government units and the Office of Civil Defense, with regard to the evacuation of residents from affected communities.
If a major eruption occurs, about 75,000 families will be affected in La Castellana, and the cities of La Carlota, San Carlos and Bago in Negros Occidental, aside from Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, as the permanent danger zone will be extended by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology from six kilometers to 12 kilometers. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)