The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) urged all local government units (LGUs) around Mt. Kanlaon never lower their guard and anticipate the worst.
Following the December 9 eruption that prompted the raising of the alert status to Alert Level 3, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol warned that another and more powerful eruption is possible.
Bacolocol stressed that their data point at similar or even stronger explosive eruptions that may cause pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) flying then hurtling down areas within the six-kilometer danger zone.
PDCs are hazardous and destructive events during an explosive eruption that carry hot volcanic ash, debris and other materials from the volcano.
“There is a possibility na mangyari ulit ‘yung December 9 event, pero now in a bigger scale,” Bacolcol stressed during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) meeting.
With this, Phivolcs recommends that mandatory or forced evacuation be strictly enforced within the six-kilometer radius.
Local government units, disaster officials and the public are also strongly advised to not be complacent and be prepared for a possible elevation to Alert Level 4 should Kanlaon’s activities persist or worsen in the following days.
When Alert Level 4 is raised, the danger zone will be expanded to a 10-kilometer radius from the summit and more people will have to evacuate their homes for safety.
Further, Phivolcs warns of the possibility of lahar flow when an eruption occurs under intense rainy conditions. Hence, their reiteration of the need to keep people away from the current six-kilometer danger zone.
“Sana ‘yung mindset natin, hindi natin isipin na mag-step down [ang alert level]. Isipin natin na mag-step up, kasi baka we will lower down our shields, maging kampante tayo at biglang sumabog,” Bacolcol pointed out.
The Phivolcs chief said that they are closely monitoring and assessing the volcano’s activities, looking at the downtrend or uptrend of relevant parameters which would prompt them to elevate or downgrade the alert status.
“The thing is, we have to be very careful dahil may quiescence before ang Kanlaon major eruption,” said Bacolcol.
He noted the Phivolcs does not want Filipinos in this part of the country spending Christmas and New Year in evacuation centers, but reiterated the gravity of the situation, saying Kanlaon’s behavior cannot be controlled.
In his visit to Negros Occidental, Director Bacolcol was joined by Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief Ma. Antonia Bornas, with a team of documenters and geologists.
Together with Office of Civil Defense officials on board Philippine Air Force Black Hawk helicopters, they scouted the vicinity of Kanlaon to visually assess the volcano and determine the impact of its December 9 eruption. (PIA Negros Occidental)