By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported seeing Mt. Kanlaon spewing smoke early yesterday morning.

Based on Phivolcs monitoring, they recorded four volcanic quakes within the past 24 hours and noticed a plume of smoke rising 500 meters from the summit before drifting northwest to northeast.

Volcanologists also reported global positioning system (GPS) readings that showed a more pronounced inflation of the volcano’s edifice since December 2015, which indicates the presence of pressurization under the surface.

They added, sulfur dioxide emissions were measured at an average of 261 tons per day.

The alert level at the volcano remains at “Level 2” and local government units are reminded the public should remain outside the four-kilometer permanent danger zone, due to possibility of hazardous phreatic eruptions.

Last month, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office designated various local governments units as Pyroclastic, Lava, and Lahar Danger Areas.

Pyroclastic areas may experience hot gases and volcanic matter, lava areas may see molten rock expelled from the volcano, while lahar consists of mudflow or debris flow.

Bago City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and Murcia fell into all three categories; while Pontevedra was listed within both pyroclastic and lahar danger areas and San Carlos City is considered within both the pyroclastic and lava danger zones.

The remaining local government units were listed among lahar danger zones, including Pulupandan, San Enrique, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Valladolid, and Isabela./DGB, WDJ