Kanlaon Volcano had a minor explosive eruption that caused significant ash emission at 2:32 p.m. Saturday, a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) official said Sunday, Feb. 16.
The event lasted for eight minutes based on the seismic record and generated a plume that rose 1,500 meters above the crater before drifting to the west-northwest, Ma. Antonia Bornas, Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief, said.
A second ash emission was also recorded at Kanlaon at 5:55 p.m. Saturday that lasted for four minutes.
Ashfall was reported in Bago City, Bornas said.
Ashfall and sulfurous smells hit nine barangays in Bago City, Dr. Merijene Ortizo, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head, said.
Hit were 46 puroks in barangays Mailum, Dulao, Ma-ao, Binubuhan, Abuanan, Antipuluan, Ilijan, Tabunan and Bacong, she said.
Ortizo said the ashfall and sulfur has contaminated open water sources in Mailum and potable water was being delivered to residents in the area.
She said the ashfall and sulfur that are corrosive will also affect rooftops in the affected areas.
Prior to the minor explosive eruption the sulfur dioxide flux at Kanlaon was measured at an average of 2,625 tons, less than the medium-term average since June 3 of 4,440 tons per day, a Phivolcs advisory said.
The eastern upper slopes of Kanlaon have been undergoing inflation or swelling since January 10, while inflation-deflation cycles have been recorded on the western upper and eastern middle slopes for the same period, it added.
This ground deformation behavior is likely the result of occasional plugging and unplugging of the volcanic conduit, causing weakened degassing and eruptive activity at the crater, a pattern of unrest that may be expected while similar levels of monitoring parameters persist, Phivolcs said.
Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) prevails over Kanlaon Volcano.
This means that magmatic unrest could generate similar ash emission and even short-lived explosive eruptions in the short term which may generate life-threatening volcanic hazards, Phivolcs said.*