BACOLOD City – Two local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have suspended face-to-face classes due to the continuing restiveness of Kanlaon Volcano.
The City of La Carlota and the Municipality of La Castellana both implemented the suspension as precautionary measures.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported seven discrete ash emission events from the volcano’s summit crater on January 1, 2025.
In a post on January 2, PHIVOLCS shared time-lapse footage and snapshots captured from 6:05 a.m. to 7:44 a.m. and noted grayish plumes rising 100 to 200 meters above the crater before drifting westward.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, indicating increased activity and potential for hazardous eruptions.
In La Castellana, the local government announced through its official Facebook page, “Arangka La Castellana”, that classes in all levels, both public and private, will remain suspended.
The post cited the “uncertain and unpredictable activity” of the volcano as the reason for the continued suspension.
The announcement added that decisions regarding the resumption of classes would depend on the recommendations of the town’s Incident Management Team (IMT) following their January 2 meeting.
La Castellana, which recorded the highest number of evacuees during the volcano’s eruption last month, continues to host affected residents in its evacuation center.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant as the situation around Mt. Kanlaon evolves./PN
