The earthquakes that hit Cebu could cause the opening of fractures within Kanlaon Volcano because the ground shaking was strong, a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) official said on Monday, October 13.
But they have not seen any overall significant effects on the volcanic activity at Kanlaon yet, PHIVOLCS Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Chief, Ma. Antonia Bornas, said.
She also said that they still need to investigate what caused a recently discovered ground subsidence (hole) in Barangay Talaptap, La Castellana in Negros Occidental, which is located near Kanlaon.
Ground subsidence is defined as the gradual or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface.
It is not known if the hole at Talaptap was caused by volcanic activity or the earthquakes.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, John BF de Asis, said on Monday that the threat level of the ground subsidence is low as it does not affect traffic or livelihoods.
The hole is 20 centimeters wide and 60 centimeters deep, he said.
De Asis said that they are acting on the concerns of residents, especially after the earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu, on September 30.
La Castellana residents were asked to report cracks, ground shifts, or new holes immediately to barangay officials or the DRRM Hotline at 09633018164.*