KANLAON Volcano in Negros Island had an “explosive eruption” last night, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology (Phivolcs) to raise its alert to Level 2.
According to Phivolcs, Alert Level 2 means there is “current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.”
In an advisory issued at 8 p.m., Phivolcs said the explosive eruption occurred at 6:51 p.m., producing a plume as high as 5,000 meters.
“The eruption produced a voluminous and incandescent plume that rapidly rose to 5,000 meters above the vent and probable short pyroclastic density currents or PDCs approximately 2-3 kilometers down the southern and southeastern slopes based on IP and thermal camera monitors,” Phivolcs said.
It said the eruption lasted for about six minutes and was preceded by a “relatively strong volcano-tectonic earthquake.”
Phivolcs said coarse ashfall and sulfurous odors have been reported in communities on the western slopes of the volcano.
“As of present, only two weak volcanic earthquakes have been recorded,” said Phivolcs in the bulletin.
It said Kanlaon has been exhibiting “above background” earthquake activity in the past months and “has been degassing relatively anomalous SO2 that has averaged approximately 1,273 tons/day for the year.”
“In view thereof, DOST-Phivolcs is raising the Alert Level of Kanlaon Volcano from Alert Level 1 (abnormal) to Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest),” Phivolcs said.
Phivolcs advised the public to be vigilant and avoid the four-kilometer danger zone “to minimize risks from sudden explosions, rockfall and landslides.”
“In case of ashfall events that may affect communities downwind of Kanlaon’s crater, people should cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask,” Phivolcs said.
It also advised civil aviation authorities to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit “as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.”
