NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Rising temperatures prompted emergency responders to move to ensure the protection of over 5,000 Kanlaon Volcano eruption evacuees sheltering in makeshift facilities in La Castellana and La Carlota City.
As temperatures climbed, Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda and Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson suspended all classes – public and private – at all education levels on Thursday, March 6, after the state weather bureau forecast that the temperature would feel like 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of Negros Occidental. In EB Magalona, Mayor Marvin Malacon suspended only afternoon classes.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) was right – the heat index was 40 degrees around 1 pm Thursday, according to Raul Fernandez, head of Task Force Kanlaon.
Fernandez said he instructed all Regional Incident Management Team responders to ensure that all 13 evacuation centers in La Castellana and La Carlota had adequate ventilation to prevent health issues as temperatures rise this March.
“I’ve told them to follow protocols in assisting the Kanlaon evacuees amid hot temperatures. I told them too to ensure that each evacuation center must have an ample supply of drinking water which is badly needed,” Fernandez added.
On record, La Castellana still has nine active evacuation centers for its 4,400 remaining evacuees; La Carlota has four for 1,500 people, while Bago City has none. Bago evacuees have all been transferred to a relocation site in Barangay Napoles.
Fernandez said that part of their mandate is to look after the health of the Kanlaon evacuees amid challenging conditions as temperatures rise.
Since March 1, Task Force Kanlaon has been tracking weather conditions. Daily forecasts indicate that a high heat index – a measure of how hot it feels when humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature – is expected over the coming weeks.
“We want to ensure that no evacuee will fall ill while at the evacuation center just because of the heat,” Fernandez said.
Workers from the Department of Health in the Negros Island Region were also on alert because of the threat posed by the scorching heat.
Dr. Girlie Pinongan, provincial health officer, called on residents to take precautions. PAGASA earlier advised people in Negros Occidental to take “extreme caution.”
Pinongan said residents should stay cool indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
She also urged Negrenses to immediately call emergency services or go to the nearest health facility if heat-related illnesses occur.
Fernandez said all response mobility assets of the Office of Civil Defense and Task Force Kanlaon are ready for deployment, and medical supplies are available to respond to emergency situations. – Rappler.com