February 7 ------ Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island erupted at 3:11 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6, producing a minor explosive event that lasted two minutes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
The eruption, according to the agency, sent a 600-meter-high ash plume drifting southwest, causing thin ashfall over Sto. Mercedes and San Luis in Barangay Sag-ang, Negros Occidental. It added that a blast wave measuring 70 Pascals was detected five kilometers east of the summit, with residents in Barangay Yubo, La Carlota City, and Barangay Sag-ang, La Castellana, hearing a loud booming sound.
Per Phivolcs, residents of several barangays in La Castellana also reported smelling sulfurous fumes. Due to heavy rainfall at the time of the eruption, volcanic debris was mobilized into the Buhangin River, triggering syn-eruption lahars in La Castellana and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental. Phivolcs said the eruption followed a significant drop in sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions, which averaged 2,249 tonnes per day compared to the 4,484 tonnes per day recorded since June 2024. Volcanic inflation has also been observed on the upper to middle slopes of the volcano since Jan. 10, it added. The agency warned that pressure buildup caused by weakened degassing could trigger further explosions.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, indicating magmatic unrest and the possibility of further explosive eruptions in the short term. Phivolcs warned that pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) could occur within a six-kilometer radius of the summit crater. Communities within this danger zone are urged to evacuate due to the risks of lava flows, rockfalls, and pyroclastic surges. Local government units must prepare for possible escalation and a hazardous eruption scenario, Phivolcs added.
Authorities also advised heightened vigilance against possible lahars and sediment-laden floods if heavy rains coincide with ongoing volcanic activity. With this, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has been advised to warn pilots against flying near the volcano’s summit, as sudden ash emissions could pose a risk to aircraft.
Source: mb.com.ph
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