Kanlaon gets restive anew; Taal calms down

Mt. Kanlaon on Negros Island became restive anew just as Taal volcano in Batangas, which has had a series of steam-driven explosions since early this month, has calmed down.

Kanlaon volcano spewed ash that rose up to 500 meters on early Saturday during three brief volcanic ash events recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In an advisory, Phivolcs said the events lasted two to six minutes starting at 6:41 a.m. and produced light gray plumes which drifted southwest.

Traces of ash were reported in Barangays Yubo and Ara-al in La Carlota City, and in Barangay Sag-ang in La Castellana, both in Negros Occidental, with sulfurous fumes also experienced in Yubo, according to Phivolcs.

Phivolcs advised that during ashfall events, people in the affected communities “should cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask.”

According to Phivolcs, the current activity of Mt. Kanlaon, which has been on Alert Level 2 after an explosive eruption in June that forced thousands of residents to evacuate, “may lead to eruptive unrest and an increase in the alert level.”

On Sept. 10, Phivolcs also alerted residents of towns and cities in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental close to the volcano to stay vigilant after recording 285 volcanic quakes in a span of 12 hours.

Like in past advisories, Phivolcs on Sunday urged the public “to be ready and vigilant” and also warned against entering the 4-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone “to minimize risks from volcanic hazards.”

Taal volcano, meanwhile, calmed down on Saturday, registering no phreatic eruption and earthquake within a 24-hour monitoring period.

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The Phivolcs on Sunday said the volcano had no steam-driven eruption and volcanic earthquake in the past 24 hours. The volcano only spewed 1,256 metric tons of sulfur dioxide from its main crater, which rose 900 meters above Taal Volcano Island, which sits in the middle of Taal Lake.

There was also no volcanic smog, or vog, during the latest observation period, Phivolcs said.

However, at around 1:37 p.m. on Sunday, the volcano let out a minor phreatic eruption that lasted eight minutes, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a post on Facebook, citing information from Phivolcs.

The volcano, which is currently under Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest), has logged 14 daily phreatic or steam-driven eruptions, called “pusngat,” from Oct. 8 to Oct. 18.