Mudflow from Kanlaon blocks Negros highway

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Heavy rains in the past few days triggered a mudflow from Kanlaon Volcano, blocking a major road in La Castellana, Negros Occidental yesterday.

For several hours, the highway in Sitio Tamburong in Barangay Biak na Bato was impassable to motorists due to thick sludge.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said the mudflow spread to about 150 meters of the highway, which is located within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon.

Donato Sermeno III, chief of the OCD-Negros Island Region, said the highway had been impassable since Friday night.

Joselito Martinez Jr., chief of Barangay Biak Na Bato, said some residents evacuated and stayed overnight in evacuation centers located in the town proper.

The Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Red Cross and other local government units deployed workers to help the municipal government of La Castellana clear the highway.

The clearing operation was completed at past 3 p.m. yesterday.

The OCD have been urging residents, particularly those living near waterways and low-lying areas, to watch out for flooding and lahar flows during heavy downpour.

The mudflow has reached the Intiguiwan River in the nearby town of Moises Padilla.

Kanlaon’s sulfur dioxide emissions has declined to less than 1,000 tons per day since May 19, according to state volcanologists.

Meanwhile, some areas in the country will experience heavy rain until tomorrow due to the intertropical convergence zone.

The ITCZ will affect areas in the Visayas and Mindanao as well as the provinces of Albay, Masbate, Palawan and Sorsogon.

“Cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms may prevail in these areas and cause flash floods and landslides,” state meteorologists said. — Ghio Ong