248 evacuees rise to 431 as Mount Kanlaon unrest intensifies, schools closed

Eighty-eight families totaling 248 individuals have been evacuated in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental amid the volcanic unrest of Mount Kanlaon.

As of Friday morning, the number of evacuees has increased to 144 families or 431 individuals staying at five evacuation centers across Barangays Pula, Masulog, Linothangan, Malaiba, and Lumapao.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is coordinating with local government for emergency response, providing food packs, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, family kits, water, and face masks.

Classes have been suspended indefinitely in both public and private schools across Canlaon City due to tectonic-volcanic earthquakes and excessive sulfur dioxide emissions.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded 17 volcanic earthquakes at Mount Kanlaon on Thursday, with a total of 354 volcanic earthquakes since midnight on September 11, and 10,880 tons of sulfur dioxide emitted.

Phivolcs warns that sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions are possible hazards at the currently restive Mt. Kanlaon.