The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has again suspended the entry of evacuees into Mt. Kanlaon’s 6-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) to carry out farming and livelihood activities effective Tuesday, June 24, amid rising indicators of another volcanic eruption.
Kanlaon Volcano’s earthquakes have increased and sulfur dioxide emissions have dropped, which are alarming indicators of another impending eruption, Donato Sermeno III, OCD Negros Island Region director and Task Force Kanlaon vice chairperson, said Monday.
Similar indicators were experienced prior to two previous eruptions, he said.
Suspended was the daily entry into 6-kilometer EDZ from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. to safeguard the evacuees from an eruption, Sermeno said.
The evacuees live outside the EDZ but are allowed to enter to tend to their farms and animals during a daily 10-hour window.
Based on DOST-PHIVOLCS Kanlaon Volcano Bulletin from 5 a.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday there were 67 volcanic earthquakes recorded with a Sulfur Dioxide flux of 755 tons per day, Sermeno said.
The low sulfur dioxide emission is an indicator that the volcano’s conduits might be blocked. Explosive eruptions can be triggered by blocked conduits, which cause over pressurization, Phivolcs said earlier.
Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3 that means the volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest, with increased chances of eruptions that could generate life-threatening volcanic hazards.
Communities within the 6-km radius from the summit crater should remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, ashfall, rockfall and other related hazards, Phivolcs said.*