BACOLOD CITY: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned of an abrupt increase in Mt Kanalon’s ground deformation that could lead to another sudden eruption similar to the one that occurred on Dec 9, 2024.
“The overall parameters may indicate that the shallow magma conduit of the volcano is undergoing pressurisation that may lead to an eruption,” it said in an advisory on Saturday (Jan 11).
The Kanlaon Volcano Network, it said, has been recording a “pronounced inflation or swelling” of the middle to upper portion of the volcano’s eastern edifice since the evening of Jan 10.
Phivolcs said electronic tilt recorded by the Upper Pantao Observation Station at 1,056-metre elevation on the eastern flank of the volcano showed an abrupt and sharp increase in inflationary tilt, indicating sudden pressurization within the upper portions of the edifice.
Electronic distance metre measurements by the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory have been tracking inflation of the southeastern flank since the last week of December 2024 and deflation of the western flank since the first week of this month.
These ground deformation parameters are largely similar to those recorded prior to the Dec. 9 eruption, which was also preceded by a drop in volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission.
Phivolcs reported that from 12am Saturday to midnight Sunday, Mt. Kanlaon had 14 volcanic earthquakes and emitted 3,511 tonnes of SO2.
It also emitted ash for five minutes starting at 6.11am on Sunday.
“The public is reminded that Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) is raised over Kanlaon Volcano. There is presently an increased chance for sudden explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities at risk with life-threatening volcanic hazards,” it said.
Phivolcs said communities within a six-kilometre radius of the summit crater must remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents, or PDCs, ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls, and other related hazards.
Negros Occidental officials have earlier allowed some 4,000 residents outside of the volcano’s six-kilometre danger zone to return home starting on Jan 8, but there were still about 10,000 villagers from inside the danger area who were kept in evacuation centres.
Phivolcs on Sunday instructed the local governments and disaster risk reduction and management offices to vigilantly monitor weather conditions in case heavy rainfall occurs and generates lahars and sediment-laden stream flows in channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano.
Phivolcs specifically cited villages of La Castellana town in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental that have been impacted by PDCs and lahar following the eruption of Mt Kanlaon in June 2024.
Lahar is a destructive mudflow made up of water, volcanic ash, rock fragments, and other materials that flows down the side of a volcano to communities below.
Phivolcs also ordered civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit, as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian has directed their agency’s Disaster Response Management Group to work double time in augmenting the stockpiles of family food in Negros amid the looming eruption of Mt Kanlaon.
On Saturday, Gatchalian assured Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Directors Shalaine Lucero of Central Visayas and Arwin Razo of Western Visayas that they would receive their additional family food packs.
He said their goal is to preposition 100,000 boxes of family food packs (FFP) in the whole of Negros Island amid another possible eruption of Mt Kanlaon.
“We will massively send FFP stockpiles to Negros Oriental (Region 7) and Negros Occidental (Region 6) starting Sunday. We will fill our provincial warehouses on the island to the brim,” Gatchalian said.
He said he wanted to make sure that by Monday, 40,000 boxes of food packs have been delivered to Negros Oriental and another 40,000 to Negros Occidental.
“Check the maximum capacity for both sides of Kanlaon. I want maximum capacity in the warehouses of Negros Oriental and Occidental. So we have to be ready,” Gatchalian said. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
