LOOK: ‘Muddy stream flow’ hits 2 villages in La Castellana, Negros Occidental

BACOLOD, Philippines – A sudden “muddy stream flow” triggered by rain surprised residents in two barangays in La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, June 5, Mayor Alme Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan confirmed.

Mangilimutan said the two affected villages are barangays Biak na Bato and Masulog. Their roads were impassable as of Wednesday afternoon.

Mari-Andylene Quintia, science research specialist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology who went to Barangay Biak na Bato, said that the muddy stream flow was triggered by rain that day and was not connected to the volcanic activity of Kanlaon Volcano.

There was no recorded eruption of Kanlaon Volcano prior to the incident

Quintia told reporters that the muddy stream flow was formed when volcanic ash “that settled on the mouth or slope of the volcano…were swept down by the rains in the past hours.”

Mangilimutan appealed to the affected residents to evacuate to the Cabacungan Elementary School and Cabacungan National High School before sunset.

“It’s better to be safe than to risk lives at night,” the mayor said.

She also instructed municipal rescuers and barangays officials to be on alert following the development. – Rappler.com