PRO-18 Activate Disaster Task Group Following Mt. Kanlaon Eruption

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-18 here activated its Disaster Incident Management Task Group (DIMTG) Wednesday following two minor eruptions of Mt. Kanlaon Tuesday night.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the eruptions occurred at the volcano’s active crater at around 6:20 p.m. lasting for 12 minutes, and at 7:18 p.m., for about 25 seconds.

Senior Supt. Leonardo Cesneros, deputy regional director for operation of PRO-18 and concurrent incident commander of DIMTG, led the activation of the task force.

During the meeting, the task group discussed the alert level status of Mt. Kanlaon on its active state, the remedies to mitigate possible damages, and the plan for a forced evacuation of residents within the four-kilometer radius of the volcano.

Senior Superintendent Harris Fama, acting director of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said Tuesday night they have established the Kanlaon Volcano Monitoring Desk to update the community on the status of the volcano’s activity.

Fama, who visited Canlaon City after the eruption, said “the activation of the provincial police monitoring center will be co-located at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Operation Center.”

Superintendent Frankie Lugo, chief of Canlaon City Police Station, said the task groups, which are components of the Mount Kanlaon contingency plan, were activated for security, evacuation, and medical response.

There is still no evacuation of residents living near the danger zone, he said.

Lugo added that troopers of the Philippine Army also augmented the police force in Canlaon.

He added that after Tuesday night’s eruption, life is back to normal for Canlaon residents because they are already used to the abnormal activity of Mount Kanlaon, although he stressed that they still have be prepared.

Lugo said that in case there will be changes in the alert level status of the volcano, the city government will activate its Incident Command System for command, control, and coordination of emergency response.(PNA) FFC/NLG/MPE