Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Authorities are urging residents near Mt. Kanlaon to wear masks and stay indoors in the wake of the volcano’s eruption and reported ashfall in some areas in Negros Occidental.
Local disaster management officials said on Wednesday (March 30) that ashfall was reported in Bago City, and residents of Barangay Ma-Ao still smelled sulfur — even though the fume was relatively less intense than the previous day.
Jen Ortizo, officer-designate of the city’s disaster management council, said an ashfall thickness of 1 centimeter was noted in the barangay. This was thicker compared to the ashfall on December 30, 2015.
Also affected were the towns of La Castellana, La Carlota and Pontevedra, which are within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone.
Ash fall samples have been submitted to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for analysis.
In La Castellana, several brush fires also reportedly broke out Wednesday afternoon.
Ortizo said all of the 19 residents evacuated to the Ma-Ao gymnasium the night before had already returned home.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) allocated P3 million for efforts to prevent grassfire from spreading in the forested areas of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park.
The PDRRMC made the move after reports of an imminent threat of grassfire spreading to Park after the volcano spewed ash and fiery rocks on Tuesday (March 29).
Bacolod City-based correspondent Shiela Gelera contributed to this report.
