Bacolod City – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the possibility of a hazardous eruption of Kanlaon volcano in the coming weeks, as Alert Level 3 remains in effect, as of this time.
Alert Level 3 means there is a possibility of a hazardous eruption in the following weeks, according to PHIVOLCS.
We are not discounting that possibility that it may happen, and that Alert Level 4 maybe raised, said PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol, who attended the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council meeting at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, after conducting an aerial inspection of Kanlaon volcano, from an Air Force Blackhawk helicopter, said.
Over the past 24 hours, PHIVOLCS recorded two volcanic quakes and sulfur dioxide emissions of 7,019 tons.
Bacolcol noted the fluctuating data from Kanlaon volcano, stressing that a downtrend in its parameters may also indicate the calm before a storm.
He recalled that before the December 9 eruption, Kanlaon logged six volcanic quakes and the emission of 1,699 tons of sulfur dioxide, compared to previous weeks’ data of around 7,000 to 11,000 tons of SO2 emission. Then it erupted, Bacolcol said.
Unlike the previous activities of Kanlaon Volcano that only involved steam and ash, Bacolcol said the recent explosion involved new magma.
When we analyze the ash that came from the events, it came from old volcanic rocks. It means, there is strong pressure going upward, the state seismologist said.
The last magmatic eruption of Kanlaon volcano was recorded by PHIVOLCS in 1902.
According to PHIVOLCS, the December 9 eruption was similar to the one on June 3, but it was stronger, based on seismic and other observation data.
Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, La Castellana, the cities of Bago, La Carlota, and San Carlos, and the municipalities of Moises Padilla and Murcia were identified by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) as Kanlaon volcano lava flow hazard areas.
The volcano lahar hazard areas also include Canlaon City, La Castellana, La Carlota City, Bago City, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, Pontevedra, San Enrique, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Binalbagan and Himamaylan City, according to reports of PDRRMC.
Maria Antonia Bornas, PHIVOLCS Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief, said among the signs they are looking at to raise the Alert Level to 4 include the slow rise of magma and swelling of the volcano.
Bacolcol, Bornas, Task Force Kanlaon chief Raul Fernandez, and OCD Central Visayas director Joel Erestain, yesterday inspected Kanlaon volcano through an aerial survey.
Two S701 Black Hawk choppers were used for the activity to gather data on potential hazards after the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, according to the Philippine Air Force.
“The inter-agency team utilized the aerial platforms to gain a comprehensive overview of the situation and identify areas requiring immediate attention. The said helicopters will also be utilized for the airlift of volumes of relief goods intended for the affected communities,” the PAF said. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)