Kanlaon Volcano released a grayish ash plume 1,500 meters above its crater following an eight-minute minor eruption at 2:32 p.m. on Saturday, February 15.
Ashfall and sulfurous smells were reported in several localities of Negros Occidental’s Bago City, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a report.
The winds carried the ash westward, causing ashfall in several barangays of Bago, including Abuanan, Binubuhan, Dulao, Ilijan, Ma-ao, and Mailum.
Sulfurous smells were also reported in Barangay Bacong.
Phivolcs said ground deformation behavior likely resulted from “occasional plugging and unplugging of the volcanic conduit,” causing weakened degassing and eruptive activity at the crater, respectively, a pattern of unrest that may be expected while similar levels of monitoring parameters persist.
Prior to the volcanic event, sulfur dioxide in Kanlaon flux was measured at an average of 2,625 tons a day, lower than the 4,440 tons medium-term average per day since June 3, 2024.
Degassing from the summit crater has been weak since February 6, 2025, Phivolcs said.
“The eastern upper slopes of the edifice have been undergoing inflation or swelling since January 10, while inflation-deflation cycles have been recorded on the western upper and eastern middle slopes for the same period,” the agency said.
Alert Level 3, or magmatic unrest, prevails over Kanlaon, which means that “magmatic unrest could generate similar ash emissions and even short-lived explosive eruptions in the short term, which may generate life-threatening volcanic hazards.”
“It is recommended that communities within the six-kilometer radius from the summit crater remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, ashfall, rockfall, and other related hazards,” Phivolcs said in an advisory.
Local government units must continue to prepare their communities within the PDC hazard zone for subsequent evacuation in case unrest further escalates and a hazardous worst-case explosive eruption becomes imminent.
“Increased vigilance against potential syneruption lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the edifice is strongly advised should intense rains occur during eruptive unrest,” Phivolcs said./WDJ