MANILA, Philippines — “Traditional” Christmas parties are prohibited for evacuees in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, as the threat from Kanlaon Volcano persists, though simple celebrations are still allowed, the city mayor said on Tuesday.
Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas said that they are closely monitoring the volcano’s activity.
“Binawal ko ‘yung pagcelebrate ng Pasko dahil alam mo, kapag may paputok, bawal dahil hindi natin madetermine kung may eruption. Tapos kung magparty-party tayo na ganun, ‘di rin natin alam na during that time, ‘yung pinangambahan natin na worst case scenario na Alert Level 4 kung darating,” said Cardenas in an interview with Teleradyo 630.
(I prohibited celebrating Christmas because, you know, when there are fireworks, they’re not allowed since we can’t determine if there’s an eruption. And if we have parties like that, we also wouldn’t know if, during that time, the worst-case scenario we’re worried about—like Alert Level 4—might happen.)
“Kaya pinaintindi namin na ‘yung mga tao, kaunting salo-salo and walang celebration na traditional. Salo-salo will do. Binabantayan kasi namin patuloy ang bulkan,” Cardenas added.
(So we made them understand that it’s just a small get-together, not a traditional celebration. A simple gathering will do. We’re continuously monitoring the volcano.)
READ: Over 9,400 evacuated after Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption — OCD
The city mayor said around 6,400 individuals will be spending Christmas Day in evacuation centers in Canlaon City.
He also said that they have plans to evacuate to Vallehermoso and Guihulngan in Negros Oriental if Alert Level 4 was raised over the volcano.
On Friday, the Office of the Civil Defense said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. provided over P30 million for the eruption response in Canlaon City.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the Kanlaon Volcano, which sits between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, logged four ashing events on Monday.
READ: Lahar alert up as Kanlaon spews more ash
Phivolcs told INQUIRER.net that the first ashing event lasted four hours from 11:14 a.m. to 4:58 p.m., and produced plumes that reached 1,200 meters high and drifted northwest-west.
Furthermore, the other ashing events occurred from 7:05 to 7:40 p.m., 7:49 p.m. to 8:10 p.m., and 8:19 p.m. to 8:43 p.m. They all produced 500-meter-high plumes that drifted westward.
The volcano erupted last December 9, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents living nearby. Alert Level 3, or “Intensified Unrest” remains over the volcano.
READ: Bago City employees bring Christmas cheers to Kanlaon evacuees