The Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) prepares for the possible hoisting of Alert Level 4 over Kanlaon Volcano as seismologists see three potential scenarios amid the continuing volcanic activities.
“We are preparing for a heightened alert level over Kanlaon,” OCD-6 director and Regional Task Force Kanlaon chairperson Raul Fernandez said in a statement.
“Preparations are underway in Himamaylan City, where we are establishing a tent city in anticipation of a possible escalation,” he added, stating that tent cities could also be built in Vallehermoso town and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental.
Citing the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Fernandez said three scenarios might happen at the volcano under Alert Level 4, such as violent eruptions, lava flows or a rise in volcanic activities.
He added that eruptions could likely lead to lava flows, based on their assessments and comparisons with other active volcanoes.
Kanlaon is currently at Alert Level 3, indicating that there is a high level of volcanic unrest.
Magmatic intrusion to shallow levels of the edifice is driving unrest, with indications that a hazardous eruption could occur in weeks, Phivolcs said.
Possible hazards from the volcano include sudden explosive eruption, lava flow or effusion, ashfall, pyroclastic density currents, and rockfall, as well as lahars, especially during heavy rains.
Sulfur dioxide emissions from Kanlaon increased to 6,014 tons on Wednesday, Christmas Day, the Phivolcs said in its bulletin yesterday.
Kanlaon had two ash emission events on that day, lasting 59 minutes up to one hour and five minutes.
However, this was fewer than the seven ash emission events that lasted up to two hours and 26 minutes on Tuesday, December 24.
Its voluminous plumes have now only reached 400 meters, lower than the average of 1,200 meters from previous eruptions.
The volcano also had continuous degassing with occasional ash emissions, Phivolcs said.
A total of 20 volcanic earthquakes, including seven volcanic tremors, were recorded over Kanlaon, and lasted for one hour and 32 minutes.
Phivolcs issued a notice of increased volcanic ash emissions at Kanlaon after it continuously spewed dark ash earlier this week.
The continuous volcanic activities have affected 11,883 families, composed of 45,526 individuals, across 32 barangays in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, the OCD-6 said.
Among those affected, 4,454 families, approximately 14,186 persons, are temporarily residing in 32 evacuation centers.
At least 2,185 families or 6,953 individuals, are currently seeking shelter with their relatives.
The OCD-6 projected that around 54,000 individuals will be evacuated if the situation worsens.
Earlier, Kanlaon’s four-kilometer permanent danger zone was expanded to six kilometers from the summit crater or active vent.
Health concerns
Meanwhile, Dr. Girlie Pinongan, head of the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office, said Kanlaon’s recent eruption has led to a significant rise in respiratory illnesses among the evacuees.
Pinongan said there is an alarming increase in the cases of cough, cold and fever — particularly among children — inside evacuation centers.
The prolonged stay in overcrowded evacuation facilities since Kanlaon’s magmatic eruption on December 9, has intensified health risks, with many evacuees experiencing respiratory distress due to volcanic ash contamination and poor living conditions, she added.
Authorities have suspended classes in 17 schools near Kanlaon, in response to the ongoing volcanic activity.
A dynamic learning program has also been implemented to ensure educational continuity for affected schools while providing support for clean-up operations and hygiene kits.
The Department of Health has been issuing public advisories regarding the risks of volcanic activity on health, and convening health clusters to address urgent needs in affected areas./ With reports from GMA Integrated News, Jen Baylon / WDJ