Negros Island’s Kanlaon Volcano emitting more ash

MANILA, Philippines – Negros Island’s Kanlaon Volcano has increasingly been emitting ash, with at least 28 ash emission episodes recorded since October 19.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in an advisory at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 9, that these ash emission episodes ranged from 4 minutes to 1 hour and 18 minutes, and “generated grayish plumes that rose 300 to 800 meters above the summit” of Kanlaon.

The latest episode happened from 5:46 am to 7:02 am on Saturday. It produced “light gray plumes that rose 750 meters above the crater before drifting southwest,” according to Phivolcs.

The agency added that “traces of ash” were reported in parts of Negros Occidental on Saturday, specifically in Sitio Bais, Barangay Yubo, La Carlota City, and in Barangay Sag-ang, La Castellana. The two barangays were also hit by “sulfurous fumes.”

When there is ashfall, “people should cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask,” Phivolcs said.

The agency examined ash samples taken from emission episodes on October 19 as well as November 2 and 5, and found that these were composed of “mainly pulverized old rock within the edifice and not of material from new magma.”

Still, “current activity at the summit crater may lead to eruptive unrest and an increase in the alert level,” Phivolcs warned the public.

Kanlaon has been under Alert Level 2 since it erupted last June 3. Alert levels range from 0 (normal) to 5 (hazardous eruption in progress).

Since the June eruption, sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission has also been high, currently averaging 4,299 tons per day. On Friday, November 8, it averaged 4,701 tons per day.

When Kanlaon is not in a state of unrest, the typical SO2 emission is less than 300 tons per day.

Phivolcs reminded the public not to enter the 4-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone around the volcano “to minimize risks from volcanic hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, rockfall, and others.” Lahar flows are also possible if there is heavy rain in the area. – Rappler.com