90 Negros barangays hit by ashfall after Kanlaon eruption

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Ninety barangays in 11 towns and cities of Negros Occidental were hit by ashfall after the moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Sunday night, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said.

The PDRRMO said the event forced most of the affected towns and cities to order the suspension of classes yesterday, to protect children from the harmful effects.

Sunday’s eruption is the third for Kanlaon this year, following similar events on Feb. 19 and 26, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

According to Phivolcs, the volcano remains under Alert Level 2, which indicates moderate unrest and continued possibility of sudden eruptions.

Ash accumulations were recorded across 90 barangays in Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Don Salvador Benedicto and Ilog towns as well as in the cities of Himamaylan, Kabankalan and San Carlos, the PDRRMO said.

Aside from ashfall, sulfur fumes were experienced by residents of Barangay Codcod in San Carlos City and Barangay Mailum in La Carlota City.

Seismic records indicated that the eruption lasted one minute, producing a plume that rose to 5,000 meters above the crater. The event was followed by two ash emissions, with the first lasting for three hours and 49 minutes.

Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said the eruption may be similar to the two previous activities wherein gas trapped in the volcano experienced over-pressurization, which resulted in the violent explosion.

“In a span of one month, this is the third activity. We are expecting these kinds of activities under the Alert Level 2 status of Kanlaon Volcano,” Bacolcol told dzMM.

Among the trends of parameters that experts monitor are the escalations of volcanic unrest such as increasing volcanic earthquakes, stronger and more frequent explosions, persisting ash plumes, ground deformation and inflation.