The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned on Friday, Jan. 16, that rains brought on by Tropical Storm “Ada” could trigger life-threatening lahar flow from Kanlaon Volcano.
PHIVOLCS said it strongly recommends increased vigilance and readiness of communities in pre-determined zones of lahar and related hazards from Kanlaon.
The lahar deposits at Kanlaon are not just from recent ash emissions but from previous eruptions, Mari-Andylene Quintia, PHIVOLCS resident volcanologist at the Mt. Kanlaon Observatory in La Carlota City, said.
Kanlaon lahars, which were shown by Typhoon Tino to be strong enough to transport enormous volumes of gravel and boulders, could threaten communities by their force of impact, inundation, burial, and washout, PHIVOLCS warned.
Kanlaon spewed ash again at 10:28 on Friday.
The volcano also recorded 46 volcanic earthquakes from 12 a.m. Thursday to 12 a.m. Friday.
PHIVOLCS said based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warning, “Ada” will potentially bring light to moderate with occasionally heavy rains to Negros Island and the rest of the Visayas.
“Prolonged heavy rainfall could generate life-threatening lahars and sediment-laden streamflows on major channels draining the southern, western and eastern slopes of Kanlaon Volcano,” Phivlolcs said.
Post-eruption lahars can be generated by heavy rainfall eroding loose material from remnant pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits of explosive eruptions and loose ashfall, mostly from recent ash emission events, PHIVOLCS said.
Non-eruption lahars could be also generated form areas on the upper slopes of Kanlaon that have been recently exposed by landslides or weakened during Typhoon Tino in November 2025, it said.
PHIVOLCS said communities of Bago City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental that are situated along the following channels may be affected by lahars and sediment-laden streamflows and related flooding and siltation:
· Ibid River
· Cotcot River
· Talaptapan River
· Malaiba River
· Panubigan Creek
· Buhangin – Indurayan River
· Najalin River
· Inyawan River
· Maragandang River
· Panun-an Creek
· Intiguiwan River
· Camansi River
· Maao River
· Tokon-tokon River
· Masulog River
· Binalbagan River
· Taco Creek
· Linothangan River
Communities as well as those further downstream of the channels are advised to be prepared in case evacuation becomes necessary and to avoid traversing affected streams even those farther downslope of the volcano, PHIVOLCS said.
This could generate volcanic sediment flows or lahars, sediment-laden streamflows or muddy run-off and related siltation in rivers and drainage areas on Kanlaon Volcano, which is currently at Alert Level 2, PHIVOLCS said.*
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