THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported an increase in volcanic earthquakes in the restive Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island on Saturday.
In a bulletin, Phivolcs said it recorded 14 volcanic earthquakes in Kanlaon on Saturday, or nine more than the previous day.
Phivolcs said the volcano’s sulfur dioxide emission on Saturday was measured at 3,620 tons, producing a 50-meter plume. The emission was lower than last Friday’s 5,798 tons.
Phivolcs also said the volcano’s edifice remains inflated.
Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) remains in effect at Kanlaon Volcano.
Phivolcs raised Kanlaon’s alert status to Alert Level 3, from Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest), on December 9 after the volcano had an “explosive eruption.”
The eruption forced authorities to evacuate residents within the extended eight-kilometer danger zone.
As of yesterday, 4,744 families or 15,859 individuals are in 27 evacuation centers, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
The NDRRMC said 634 other families or 2,157 individuals are staying with relatives and friends.
The number of families displaced by Kanlaon’s eruption has reached 5,015 families or 18,425 persons, including the close to 5,000 families in evacuation centers in Western and Central Visayas, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as of yesterday showed.
Data from the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication also showed that 10,332 families or 42,278 persons from 26 barangays in the two regions were affected by the eruption.
The DSWD said it has distributed P18.278 million worth of family food packs and non-food relief items such as hygiene and sleeping kits.
It assured the public it still has enough funds (P92 million) and stockpiles of relief goods (P2 billion) on standby. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
