Kanlaon aggressive ash emissions continue

MANILA, Philippines — Aggressive ash emissions continued at Kanlaon Volcano, with seven events recorded in 24 hours since Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.

Phivolcs said the emissions, lasting from three minutes up to two hours and 26 minutes, were accompanied by five volcanic tremors.

The agency also recorded 25 volcanic earthquakes and a sulfur dioxide emission measured at 3,585 tons per day.

Plumes, described as “voluminous,” rose up to 1,200 meters from the volcano’s mouth with a southwest and south-southwest drift.

Although the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Western Visayas has asked local government units in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to prepare for an Alert Level 4, which refers to an imminent hazardous eruption, Phivolcs has maintained the Alert Level 3 it hoisted since the Dec. 9 eruption.

The OCD noted an “alarming increase” in volcanic ash emissions, which could also trigger lahar flows with heavy rains.

Phivolcs said the volcano edifice continues to be inflated as it warned communities of danger due to sudden explosive eruption, lava flow or effusion, ashfall, pyroclastic density currents or ballistic projectiles, rockfalls and lahar flows during heavy rain.

A total of 2,672 families or 8,642 people have been evacuated from the extended danger zone in Negros Occidental.

Canlaon City, on the Oriental side, has evacuated 2,325 families or 7,548 people.