By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The number of volcanic earthquakes recorded at Mt. Kanlaon has drastically dropped in the last 24 hours, following two days of unrest.

According to the latest data by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), they recorded 10 volcanic quakes between Thursday morning to Friday morning.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions remain unchanged, with an average of one tonne per day since September of this year.

However, Phivolcs told the residents living near the volcano to remain vigilant as there is a probable intrusion of magma, which “may or may not” lead to an eruption.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental also conducted an ocular inspection of the four-kilometer danger zone surrounding the volcano and found no traces of ash fall.

The Phivolcs observatory in Canlaon City also noted, around 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, dark ash was spotted billowing from the crater.

Light tremors were also recorded at the same time.

Local residents also reported hearing a “boiling sound” coming from the volcano at the time volcanologists spotted the ash cloud.

The Negros Occidental provincial government has since activated the Kanlaon Volcano Emergency Operations Center (KVEOC) after Provincial DRRMO head Zeaphard Caelian called a meeting on Thursday.

The Negros Oriental provincial government, meanwhile, initiated their own precautions, conducting an information campaign for local residents on how to evacuate should the situation with the volcano worsen.

Classes in La Castellana, Negros Occidental were also suspended yesterday afternoon, after students and residents reported smelling sulfur, suspected to be coming from the volcano.

Earlier this week, Phivolcs raised the status on Mt. Kanlaon to ‘Alert Level 2’ after they recorded nearly 250 earthquakes within a 24-hour period.

Residents near the volcano have been advised to stay away from the said danger zone, due to the volcano’s volatility./DGB, WDJ