Residents of Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, faced difficulty passing through a key road late Friday night. The road was covered in thick mud due to a lahar flow from Mount Kanlaon.
According to reports, heavy rain began pouring past 11:00 p.m. and lasted for more than an hour. The intense rainfall triggered a lahar flow—mud mixed with volcanic ash, rocks, and tree branches—which spilled onto a portion of the road leading to Canlaon City.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo Bacolod, Barangay Captain Joselito Martinez shared that the community had been on alert for possible lahar flows, especially after experiencing a similar incident in July last year. As a precaution, Martinez had instructed barangay tanods to monitor the situation closely. When the lahar began flowing at around 1:00 a.m., they immediately reported it to the La Castellana Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).
Martinez also contacted the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), the Philippine Red Cross, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), requesting assistance and heavy equipment to clear the road.
The affected road segment spans approximately 50 meters and became impassable due to the lahar, which included not just mud but also rocks and fallen tree branches. The Tamburong River, located along the volcano’s slope, served as the primary pathway for the lahar to flow downhill.
Mud depth reached up to knee-level, making it barely passable for pedestrians. Some vehicles, however, got stuck—most notably a canter truck en route to Canlaon City to buy vegetables. The truck remained immobilized from 1:00 a.m. and was only successfully rescued around 8:00 a.m.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Martinez confirmed that more than 70 residents from the barangay had already been relocated to an evacuation center back in December as a precaution against possible volcanic hazards.
Authorities continue to monitor the area as the threat of further lahar flows persists during heavy rains, especially with the presence of volcanic ash deposits on Mount Kanlaon. Road clearing operations are ongoing.