MANILA, Philippines- Nanawagan ang Philippine Institute of of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) na maging alerto ang mga residente malapit sa bulkang Kanlaon kasunod ng social media posts ukol sa “cohesive and cement-like lahars” na posibleng dulot ng moderate to heavy rainfall sa lugar.
“Based on the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Regional Weather Advisory No. 2, the Negros Island Region has been under the effects of a Low Pressure Area (LPA) and the Southwest Monsoon,” pahayag ng PHIVOLCS.
“Furthermore, based on PAGASA’s Heavy Rainfall Warning No. 2 #VISPRSD, moderate to heavy rainfall in the late afternoon to early evening affected portions of Kanlaon Volcano, generating channel-confined volcanic sediment flows or lahars on the southern and southwestern slopes,” dagdag ng ahensya.
Nakapagtala ang All-Weather Station ng Kanlaon Volcano Observatory a Carlota City ng kabuuang 45.5 mm ng ulan sa 3.5-hour period at posible pang magkaroon ng mas mataas na rainfall volume sa paligid ng bunganga ng bulkan.
Sinabi ng PHIVOLCS na naiulat ng mga netizen at lokal na opisyal “cohesive and cement-like lahars” sa Buhangin River at sa ilalim ng Hacienda 92 Bridge sa Barangay Sag-ang at Ibid Creek sa Barangay Biak-na-bato, La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
Babala ng PHIVOLCS, “Lahars can threaten communities along the middle and lower slopes with inundation, burial and wash out.”
“PHIVOLCS thus strongly recommends increased vigilance and readiness of communities along rivers draining southern Kanlaon. These communities and local government units are advised to continually monitor weather conditions and take pre-emptive response measures when heavy rains, the only early-warning for lahars, are expected or have begun over the upper slopes of Kanlaon Volcano, for their safety,” anito pa. RNT/SA
