Mount Kanlaon, currently under Alert Level 3, experienced five volcanic earthquakes over the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported on Saturday.
In its 24-hour monitoring summary from Friday midnight to Saturday midnight, PHIVOLCS noted that the volcano emitted 5,798 tonnes of sulfur dioxide and observed obscured plumes. The volcano’s edifice is also reportedly inflating, indicating increased magmatic activity.
Alert Level 3 and Recommended Precautions
Alert Level 3 signals “intensified or magmatic unrest.” Authorities recommend evacuating areas within a six-kilometer radius from Kanlaon’s summit, and all aircraft are prohibited from flying near the volcano.
Potential hazards include:
- Sudden explosive eruptions
- Lava flows or effusion
- Ashfall
- Pyroclastic Density Currents (PDCs)
- Rockfalls
- Lahars during heavy rainfall
Impact of Kanlaon’s Recent Eruption
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured the public on Friday that the government is actively addressing the situation.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that Kanlaon’s eruption last Monday has impacted 11,791 families (40,489 individuals) in Western and Central Visayas. Of these, 4,612 families (15,440 individuals) are currently in evacuation centers.