BACOLOD CITY – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported that the strong smell of sulfur from the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental was present in 24 out of 61 barangays here on Monday night, June 3.
PASSENGERS are stranded at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental as flights to and from Bacolod City were cancelled due to the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Monday night, June 3. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod PIO)
These barangays were Sum-ag, Taculing, Mansilingan, Villamonte, Handumanan, Felisa, Cabug, Singcang-Airport, Alijis, Bata, Punta Taytay;
11, 27, 31, 38, Estefania, Mandalagan, Tangub, Montevista, Alangilan, Pahanocoy, Vista Alegre, Banago, and Granada.
In a situation report released by the CDRRMO on Tuesday, June 4, Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan, CDRRMO head, said that the odor was first reported in some barangays here around 11 p.m. No evacuation was conducted.
The smell of sulfur is often compared to that of a rotten egg.
Following the eruption, Mayor Albee Benitez met the CDRRMO to monitor the situation.
The CDDRMO, all barangay DRRM committees, and other concerned agencies, as well as the health cluster, are on standby in preparation for any untoward incidents. It also activated its Emergency Operations Center and is under blue alert status.
Food and non-food items here were prepositioned in case of evacuation and camp management.
For safety, the CDRRMO advised the public to stay indoors and use dust mask, N95 mask, or wet cloth to cover their nose or mouth.
Some areas in Negros Occidental have also reported strong sulfur odor.
The eruption prompted the cancellation of flights to and from Bacolod, which caused several passengers to be stranded at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental on Monday night.