MUDFLOW. Residents are warned against the dangers of erosion hazards such as lahar/mudflows following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. The Phivolcs reported that a mud sheet wash or water on land eroding sediments was reported in La Castellana, Negros Occidental and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on Wednesday (June 5, 2024) afternoon. (Contributed photo)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Residents in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental are warned against erosion hazards especially in the vicinity of the restive Mt. Kanlaon following its eruption that triggered mudflows on Wednesday.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Adrian Sedillo told the Philippine News Agency that they are monitoring the situation in Canlaon City as they expect lahar or mudflows.
“Events such as mud or lahar flows are expected to occur during the aftermath of an eruption and are dangerous as they carry volcanic materials like water, mud, and rocks,” Sedillo said.
Residents are advised to be on the guard of their surroundings considering that heavy rains reported earlier in the day could trigger events like this.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in La Carlota, Negros Occidental, the nearest observatory to Canlaon City, said a muddy sheetwash was reported around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Biak-na-Bato in La Castellana.
Ptolemy Mañego, a research assistant at the Phivolcs La Carlota station, told the Philippine News Agency that a muddy sheet wash or what appears to be mudflow is “water running over land and eroding sediments”.
Bodies of water such as waterfalls and even rainfall can trigger this event, he said.
Sedillo said the Canlaon City DRRMO reported similar events in Barangay Masulog, one of five villages within the permanent danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon.
No evacuation orders have been issued yet by the Canlaon local government unit (LGU) which is also constantly monitoring the activities of the volcano after it erupted Monday evening.
This is critical considering that the majority of the villagers have opted to remain in their homes and farms while only a handful are at evacuation centers, he added.
No injuries have been reported related to the muddy sheetwash, except for houses and roads covered with mud.
No other eruptions were reported at Mt. Kanlaon but Alert Level 2 remains in effect.
Subsequent phreatic eruptions are possible, Phivolcs said Tuesday. (PNA)
