More explosive eruptions are possible at Kanlaon Volcano as it had another minor eruption yesterday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
“The current eruptions are just a prologue. The major eruptions that we are seeing are taking place in shorter intervals now,” Mariton Bornas, chief of Phivolcs’ Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
“We might end up with a lava eruption or a highly explosive eruption,” she added.
Kanlaon generated voluminous ash plumes reaching up to 800 meters from the summit crater after it began emitting ash at 11:52 a.m. yesterday, Phivolcs said in an advisory.
The ashing event lasted more than two hours until 2:12 p.m.
“The second ash emission event began at 2:53 p.m., producing another voluminous ash plume rising up to 600 meters from the summit crater,” the advisory added.
Phivolcs advised residents in Negros Occidental cities of La Carlota and Bago and other nearby towns to take precautions as ash drifted west-northwest of the volcano.
The Bago City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that Barangays Ilijan, Mailum and Binubuhan in the city experienced light ashfall following an ash emission.
Residents are encouraged to wear face masks for protection against volcanic hazards.
Earlier, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) was preparing for the possibility of a more destructive Kanlaon eruption after a series of phreatic eruptions since last year.
The OCD is also coordinating with Phivolcs, and is closely monitoring the volcanic activity.
“Phivolcs said there’s a chance of a more violent eruption. It is so dangerous, we don’t want it to happen,” OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said.
On April 8, Kanlaon erupted with a minor explosive ashing event, producing a voluminous bent plume approximately 4,000 meters tall that drifted southwest.
The eruption — the third in a series of volcanic events since last year — was comparable to the explosive eruption on December 9, 2024, Phivolcs said.
Alert Level 3 remains in effect over Kanlaon, which signifies magmatic unrest, and explosive eruptions are possible.
“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.
A total of 33 volcanic earthquakes were recorded at Kanlaon in a 24-hour period.
The volcano emitted sulfur dioxide flux totaling 1,931 tons on Sunday, April 13, which generated a 100-meter-tall moderate plume which drifted southwest and west.
The volcano’s edifice is inflated, Phivolcs said. / With reports from PNA, ABS-CBN News / WDJ