BACOLOD CITY – La Carlota City in Negros Occidental suspended classes in four barangays on Wednesday, September 11, due to elevated levels of sulfur dioxide in Kanlaon Volcano in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
La Carlota Mayor Rex Jalando-on cancelled classes on all levels in Barangays Ara-al, Haguimit, San Miguel, and Yubo.
LA Carlota City Hall (Glazyl Masculino)
In a memorandum, the Schools Division Office of La Carlota City said that they will implement modular distance learning, performance tasks, projects, or any appropriate blended learning modality to affected schools to ensure that learning competencies and objectives are still met and teaching-learning continuity is strictly observed.
Affected schools were Miguel S. Mondia Elementary School, Yubo Elementary School, Yubo National High School, San Miguel Elementary School I and II, San Miguel National High School, Haguimit Elementary School I and II, Ara-al Elementary School, and Nailab Extension.
They were advised to activate their School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) team to enable them to respond to emergency cases.
School heads were directed to implement the blended learning modality with flexibility based on the school context and prepare a school contingency plan.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Kanlaon generated 337 volcanic earthquakes and released 9,985 tons of sulfur dioxide on Tuesday, September 10.
This was the highest recorded gas emission from the volcano since instrumental monitoring began.
Kanlaon has been degassing increased concentrations of sulfur dioxide this year at an average rate of 1,273 tons per day, prior to the June 3 eruption, but emission since then has been particularly elevated at a current average of 3,468 tons per day, according to Phivolcs.
Phivolcs reported that sulfuric odor was reported in Barangay Ilijan in Bago City, Barangays Ara-al and San Miguel in La Carlota City, both in Negros Occidental, and Barangays Masulog, Linothangan, and Pula in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Prolonged exposure to sulfur dioxide, especially in communities within direct reach of accumulation from plumes during low wind conditions, can cause irritation of the eyes, throat, and respiratory tract.
Jalando-on encouraged people to stay indoors and wear face masks (preferably N95). A clean cloth to cover the nose may be used if face mask is unavailable.
He advised the people to be alert, vigilant, prepared, and monitor news and notices on radio and television regarding the status of the volcano currently on Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest).
La Castellana
Meanwhile, classes on all levels were suspended in the town of La Castellana in Negros Occidental on Wednesday due to Kanlaon.
Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan issued Eexecutive Order No. 2024-033 on Tuesday night, September 10, encouraging all public and private schools to shift their learning activities to online, modular, or any applicable alternative learning modality to protect learners and school authorities.
The municipal government also cancelled classes on Tuesday.
The town was among the localities severely hit by mud flow, displacing thousands of residents situated at the foot of the volcano, when it erupted last June 3.