Superheated gas emissions have been detected at the crater of Kanlaon Volcano that could be precursors to an explosive eruption, a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology resident volcanologist said on Thursday Jan. 29.
The latest Kanlaon superheated gas emission was detected by heat-sensitive cameras between 6:41 p.m. and 07:13 p.m. Wednesday, Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Observatory in La Carlota City, said.
Heat-sensitive cameras have frequently recorded nighttime emissions of superheated gas from Kanlaon, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, she said.
The release of superheated gas could also be occurring in the daytime but it cannot be seen, she said.
The release of superheated gas could be a precursor or a sign of an impending explosive eruption, Quintia said.
Before Kanlaon’s eruptions in December 2024, May and October 2025 superheated gas were also detected, she said.
Superheated gas is an indicator that magma in the volcano could be rising and nearing the crater, she added.
The volcano also recorded earthquake swarms in January, she pointed out.
This is the reason the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone should be strictly implemented for the safety of all, she said.*
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