Work at the Rafael Salas Park and Nature Center in Bago City, Negros Occidental, has been suspended since Nov. 4 because of ash fall and strong sulfuric smell from Kanlaon Volcano.
Thin layers of ash fell on the park on Nov. 4 and there has also been sulfuric odor, Bago Tourism Officer Mae Ann Furtos said on Thursday, Nov. 7.
The 18 park staff have been instructed not to report for work to protect them from health hazards caused by the ash and sulfuric smell, she said.
The 296-hectare nature park is an ecotourism project of the Bago City local government, the province of Negros Occidental and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Dr. Marijene Ortizo, Bago City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head, said the park workers were told not not to report for work on Thursday because of the strong sulfuric smell.
Residents in affected areas have been advised to wear masks and stay indoors, she said.
Kanlaon Volcano that is under Alert Level 2 (increased unrest) had 14 volcanic earthquakes and two “ashing” events, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported Thursday, Nov. 7.
It emitted 4,900 tons of sulfur dioxide on Wednesday, the Phivolcs report added.
The volcano also spewed ash at 5:55 a.m. and 6:39 a.m. on Thursday that drifted in the northwest direction, Mari-Andylene Quintia, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Mt. Kanlaon Observatory, said.
Bago City and Murcia are northwest of the volcano, she said.
Volcanic ash in the degassing plume signifies open vent conditions in which volcanic gas can carry fine debris from fractured rock or even from the margins of shallow magma beneath the edifice, Quintia said.*