167 animals affected by Kanlaon eruption rescued

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  – The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has rescued 167 animals from within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) of Mt. Kanlaon in the municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental.

In a report to Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, PVO head Placeda Lemana disclosed that the PVO quick response team had complied with the governor’s order that “no animals should be left behind.”

The evacuated animals, mostly goats and carabaos or  water buffalo, were evacuated from the barangays of Cabagna and Biak na Bato, and brought to the Colegio de La Castellana grounds in the municipality.

At the same time, PVO recorded the deaths of a carabao, cattle, goats and fighting cocks in La Castellana and the cities of Bago and La Carlota.

Kanlaon’s PDZ is now off-limits to its residents.

Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office spokesman Capt. Judesses Catalogo said the police has established checkpoints along major roads to ensure that nobody will enter the PDZ.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology yesterday warned of volcanic sediment flows or lahars, muddy streamflows or run-off in rivers and drainage systems in areas near Kanlaon as well as Mayon Volcano in Albay amid rains brought by the shear line and Tropical Depression Querubin. – Bella Cariaso