Kanlaon Volcano emitting ash on Monday, Dec. 23.*Jerick Conde Ricaplaza photos
There was an alarming increase in volcanic ash emissions at Kanlaon Volcano on Monday, Dec. 23, raising fears of dangerous lahar flow should heavy rains hit the area.
Starting 11:45 a.m. Monday dark ash was emitted from the summit of Kanlaon Volcano accompanied by weak low frequency volcanic earthquakes, Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in La Carlota City, said.
Kanlaon produced a dark plume roughly 1.2 kilometers tall that drifted to the northwest at 11:45 a.m. prompting sirens to go off to alert residents.
Ash emission was ongoing Monday afternoon and ashfall was expected over communities of Negros Occidental northwest to west of the volcano, Quintia said, which are Murcia and Bago City.
All other parameters of the volcano remain elevated but are generally unchanged, Phivolcs reported.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said before Monday’s ash emissions there were already an estimated 3 million cubic meters deposits of lahar on the slopes of Kanlaon.
“The danger there is major rain, which could bring down the lahar that would greatly affect the conditions in the area”, Lacson said.
Lacson said he met with Office of Civil Defense officials Monday morning and they agreed to keep the danger zone at 6 kilometers.
“We are hoping that the situation in Kanlaon will really improve but on the other hand there is a really a great possibility that lahar can start flowing down, especially if we have major rain in that area,” he said.
“Nobody can tell what will happen, we are just hoping for the best,” he said.
ERUPTION WARNING
The public is reminded that Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) is raised over Kanlaon Volcano, Phivolcs said in an advisory on Monday.
“This means that there are increased chances for sudden and even stronger explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities at risk with life-threatening volcanic hazards,” it added.
Communities within a six-kilometer radius of the summit crater must remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls and other related hazards, Phivolcs said.
Local government units and DRRM councils must also vigilantly monitor weather conditions in case heavy rainfall occurs and generates lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano, it added.
Specifically, barangays of La Castellana and Canlaon City that have been impacted by PDCs, as well as barangays downstream of these especially those that have experienced lahars and muddy streamflows in June 2024, could be affected by channel-confined lahars in case of heavy rains, Phivolcs said.
Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft, it said.
Local government units and DRRM councils are advised to prepare communities within the PHIVOLCS Pyroclastic Density Currents Hazard Map for potential evacuation in case unrest further escalates and hazardous worst-case explosive eruption becomes imminent, Phivolcs said.
RESOURCES
The provincial government’s resources, especially for the food of the evacuees, is good for at least a month, or until mid-January, Lacson said.
The provincial government bought portalets for the evacuation centers, LPG supply for the community kitchens and fuel for mobilization, he said.
He assured the affected LGUs, especially La Castellana, that the provincial government can take care of their evacuees for at least a month.
Asked if aid from Malacañang for Negros Occidental has arrived, Lacson said “I will let you know once the provincial government issues a receipt that we received an amount…we are expecting that this week.”
Lacson said his Christmas wish is for Kanlaon to calm down.*