Bacolod City – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported elevated volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas flux at Kanlaon volcano crater over-the-weekend.
“This is the third-highest emission from the volcano recorded this year and since instrumental gas monitoring began,” PHIVOLCS said in an advisory.
The gas emissions reached 6,367 tons for the day, with four volcanic quakes logged by the state volcanologists on Aug. 25.
Kanlaon volcano has been “degassing increased concentrations of volcanic SO₂” this year at an average rate of 1,273 tons per day before the eruption on June 3, 2024.
But emissions since then have been particularly elevated, at a current average of 3,295 tons per day, according to PHIVOLCS.
In addition, strong degassing activity from the summit crater on Saturday generated voluminous steam-rich plumes that rose 700 meters, before drifting north.
PHIVOLCS also noted volcanic earthquake activity persists at an average of nine events per day since the eruption.
“Real-time ground deformation data from continuous GPS and electronic tilt measurements have been recording slow but sustained inflation (swelling) and pressurization of the edifice since March 2022, with increased inflation of the eastern flank beginning in 2023 and of the southeastern flank detected by campaign EDM in July 2024,” PHIVOLCS explained.
PHIVOLCS also observed that the current monitoring parameters indicate shallow magmatic processes beneath the volcano, which are actively contributing to unrest.
This includes persistent and increasing volcanic gas emissions, ongoing volcanic earthquake activity, and swelling of the volcano’s structure.
Amid these developments, PHIVOLCS reminded the public that Alert Level 2 or “increasing unrest” prevails over Kanlaon.
“This means that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes with increased chances of leading to explosive eruptions or even hazardous magmatic eruptions from the summit crater,” it said.
PHIVOLCS strongly urged the public to remain “vigilant” and avoid entering the four-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) to reduce risks from volcanic hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, rockfalls, and other potential dangers. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)