The minor explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island on Friday, October 24 was part of the activity that is consistent with the volcano’s Alert Level 2 status, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Teresito Bacolcol said in Bacolod City yesterday.

“That was last Friday, and then on Saturday, there was an ash emission. It is part of the ongoing volcanic processes of Kanlaon. We have had several ash emission activities since June, we have 19, including the three on Saturday. It’s just part of the activity of Kanlaon Volcano consistent with its Alert Level 2 status,” Bacolcol told reporters on the sidelines of the opening of the Department of Science and Technology-led Handa Pilipinas-Visayas Leg at SMX Convention Center.

Alert Level 2 or moderate level of volcanic unrest shows elevated levels of the volcanic earthquake, steam/gas emission, ground deformation and hot spring temperature.

Other indications are intermittent steam/ash explosions and above baseline sulfur dioxide emission rates and increased swelling of the volcanic edifice.

Based on the interpretation of Phivolcs, there is “probable intrusion of magma at depth, which can lead to magmatic eruption.”

“If the parameters continue to worsen in a consistent manner, we may raise it to Alert Level 3. If the monitoring parameters decrease, we will have to lower it to Alert Level 1,” Bacolcol said.

The three-minute explosive eruption last Friday was the fifth since last year.

Similar eruptions were recorded on June 3 and December 9 last year, which led to the hoisting of Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest / high level of volcanic unrest), followed by two more on February 6 and May 13 this year.

Last July 29, Phivolcs lowered the status of Kanlaon Volcano from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.

The downgrading came after the volcano exhibited “less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, decreased volcanic gas emitted by subsurface magma and ground deformation cycles.” (PNA)