By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued a bulletin yesterday morning lowering the alert level at Mt. Kanlaon to ‘zero.’ Based on a Phivolcs bulletin, the volcano has exhibited an overall decline in monitoring parameters to normal values since June 2019, which indicates a return to normalcy.
Earthquakes recorded at the volcano have also dropped.
Ground deformation data based on observations by global positioning systems show no significant changes that can be attributed to volcanic activity.
Sulfur dioxide emissions, a type of volcanic gas, have also remained normal at 500 tons per day since August of last year with weak emissions of steam plumes consistent with diminished hydrothermal activity.
Volcanologists added, they do not see any magmatic eruption in the foreseeable future, although they are continuing to monitor for signs of new activity.
The public, however, is still advised to avoid entering the four-kilometer radius of the permanent danger zone as other hazards such as rock falls, sudden outgassing, and phreatic eruption at the summit area is still possible./DGB, WDJ