COMMUNITY ACTION Residents of Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday work together to clear lahar that covered the village’s roads and blocked the flow of traffic. Lahar flowed through the village’s streams and rivers after rains washed down ash and debris from Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption on Monday night. —contributed photo
BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — Health officials were working double time to prevent an outbreak of gastroenteritis and respiratory ailments in evacuation centers and in villages in La Castellana town of Negros Occidental at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon amid the continuing restiveness of the volcano following its eruption on June 3.
Personnel from the Department of Health-Western Visayas and the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) were in La Castellana on June 11, testing water sources that may have been contaminated by Kanlaon’s ashfall.
Dr. Girlie Pinongan, the PHO Chief, said they were also conducting an education campaign to remind evacuees and residents to make sure their water is safe for drinking, cooking, washing utensils and for taking baths.
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There are 4,753 evacuees in nine evacuation centers in La Castellana town, which is located closest to the active volcano.
They were evacuated for living within the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano and in areas that could be hit by lahar flow during heavy rain.
Health risks
Pinongan said the evacuees who were exposed to lahar, ashfall and the smell of sulfur from Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption on June 3 suffered from respiratory ailments, irritated throats and allergies, while some elderly folk had elevated blood pressure.
Health officials had yet to release the exact number of residents and evacuees who got sick following the volcano’s eruption.
“The evacuation centers are congested so we are keeping a close watch to prevent the spread of cough and other respiratory ailments,” she said.
John de Asis, head of La Castellana’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the evacuees were also reminded to observe proper hygiene to prevent an outbreak of diarrhea and other ailments.
Pinongan said some evacuees also complained of stomach aches after drinking too much donated juices.
La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan said they were pacing the release of donated food to prevent ailments due to overeating.
The municipal government has taken on the responsibility of cooking the food of those in evacuation centers, she said.
Pinongan said medical teams from PHO, other local governments in Negros Occidental and the Philippine Coast Guard have been assisting his town’s health personnel attending to the health needs of the evacuees and residents.
Teams from the PHO and Department of Health were also set to test the water sources in the nearby La Carlota City that may have also been affected by Kanlaon’s eruption, she said.