Canlaon city: The local government of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental has closed seven evacuation centers after more than 500 families returned to their homes within Mt. Kanlaon's extended danger zone, an official said Friday. Seth Cabanas Bariga, information officer of the city's Emergency Operations Center, confirmed the closures and the gradual return of residents to their homes.

According to Philippines News Agency, only three evacuation centers remain open as of now. Bariga stated, "As of the latest count today, some 563 families or 1,798 individuals have left the evacuation camps, but we expect the number to rise while we consolidate the reports from these temporary shelters."

Bariga clarified that the return home was limited to those living outside the 4-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) of the volcano. Residents in areas still considered critical due to potential steam emissions, phreatic eruptions, and magmatic explosions were not allowed to leave.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has recently downgraded the status of Mt. Kanlaon from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 on July 29, indicating a moderate level of volcanic unrest. The internally displaced persons (IDPs) had been residing in evacuation centers for eight months following the volcano's eruption on December 9, 2024.

Bariga also noted that only one of the three remaining evacuation camps will continue to house the remaining IDPs once all those who have departed have been accounted for.