By CESAR JOLITO III

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned of a possible explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano following the detection of superheated plume activity at its crater on Tuesday evening, January 28.

Phivolcs said the superheated plume was recorded at 6:41 p.m. and 7:13 p.m. using the infrared channel of the Upper Pantao Observation Station in Canlaon City.

The activity involved the release of extremely hot volcanic gases that are not visible to the naked eye but were captured by heat-sensitive cameras.

Mari-Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Phivolcs – Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in La Carlota City, explained that a superheated plume refers to the emission of high-temperature gases from the volcano, which can occur at any time of the day.

Quintia said that based on past observations, such phenomena are often recorded prior to explosive eruptions.

“This may indicate that the temperature inside Kanlaon Volcano is increasing. There is also a possibility that magma is already near the crater, which could result in short-lived eruptions,” Quintia said.

Phivolcs emphasized that Alert Level 2 remains in effect over Kanlaon Volcano, indicating increasing unrest.

Entry into the four-kilometer permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited, as explosive eruptions can occur without warning.

Quintia further stressed that the release of superheated gas is considered a precursor to explosive volcanic activity, urging the public and local government units to remain vigilant and strictly follow safety advisories./CJ, WDJ