11 Towns in Negros Occidental Now Choking on Ashfall and Sulfuric Stench After Kanlaon's Thursday Night Eruption
The fallout from Kanlaon Volcano's moderately explosive eruption Thursday night is becoming clearer — and it's worse than initially thought. The Negros Occidental Operations Center has now documented ashfall and sulfuric smells across 11 towns, with some areas experiencing heavy ashfall that's covering everything in sight.
Pontevedra and Himamaylan got the worst of it, with heavy to moderate ashfall blanketing multiple barangays. In Himamaylan alone, six barangays reported moderate ashfall: Aguisan, Saraet, Nabalian, Cabanbanan, Libacao, and Talaban. Meanwhile, in La Castellana — one of the closest towns to the crater — Sag-Ang recorded heavy ashfall while Robles got moderate deposits.
The sulfuric smell is another concern. Bago City, Moises Padilla (five barangays), Isabela (three barangays), and San Carlos all reported the distinct rotten-egg stench of volcanic sulfur. In Hinigaran, a whopping 24 barangays reported both light ashfall and sulfuric smell — basically the entire town.
Even Kabankalan, which is farther south, recorded very light ashfall across at least 16 barangays. Binalbagan's San Juan and San Jose areas got light to moderate ashfall. The sheer geographic spread — from La Castellana near the crater all the way down to Kabankalan — shows just how far the volcanic material traveled.
The Operations Center is urging residents who experience ashfall or volcanic hazards to report immediately to their Barangay DRRMC or local DRRMO. In case of emergency, dial 911. With PHIVOLCS still assessing whether to raise the alert level from Level 2, residents across western Negros should brace for possible evacuations if conditions worsen.
Source: GMA News
