Phivolcs urges Kanlaon vigilance during holidays

VOLCANO WATCH Ash rises from Mt. Kanlaon amid ongoing unrest as seen here on Monday, with alert level 2 remaining in effect. Communities in La Carlota City, Bago City, and Murcia, Negros Occidental, experienced light ashfall, while officials warned of possible lahar from continued volcanic activity. —REMUEL SELADAN LAJO/CONTRIBUTOR

BACOLOD CITY—The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has urged Negros Island residents near Kanlaon Volcano to remain vigilant during the holiday season, citing continued volcanic unrest.

Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief of the Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, said on Tuesday that Kanlaon’s multiple ash emissions on Monday were part of its ongoing unrest, which is why alert level 2 remained in effect.

Kanlaon typically goes through cycles, with periods of relative calm followed by renewed ash emissions or minor eruptions, Bornas explained.

Ashfall events

While volcanic earthquake activity remains low, she said Kanlaon’s sulfur dioxide emissions increased over the weekend, indicating sustained unrest.

“If we look at the long-term situation, the volcano is preparing for a major eruption,” Bornas told the Inquirer.

“It is possible that there will be more ash emissions that could lead to minor explosive eruptions,” she said, adding that a major eruption could still take several years of continued unrest.

Bornas warned that repeated ash emissions and minor explosive activity could generate fresh volcanic material, which may trigger channel-confined lahar in La Castellana and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental, both of which are located at the foot of the volcano.

On Monday night, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council advised the public to remain cautious due to possible ashfall from Kanlaon.

Phivolcs reported that Kanlaon Volcano emitted ash four times on Monday: from 9:01 a.m. to 9:20 a.m., 10:29 a.m. to 11:07 a.m., 4:05 p.m. to 6:02 p.m., and 8:31 p.m. to 9:10 p.m.

The ash emission that began at 4:05 p.m. lasted nearly two hours, with the plume rising about 900 meters above the summit.

Phivolcs said thin ash may have affected communities in La Carlota City, Bago City, and the town of Murcia in Negros Occidental.

Two additional weak ash emissions were recorded Monday morning, producing grayish plumes that rose up to 300 meters above the summit crater before drifting northwest.

Dr. Merijene Ortizo, head of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Bago City, reported ashfall in Pataan, Barangay Mailum and Purok Manokan in Barangay Ilijan on Monday morning.