ILOILO City – Ash fall from Mount Kanlaon’s eruption affected 26 municipalities and cities across Western Visayas and the Negros Island Region, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
The eruption produced a massive plume that rose 4,000 meters above the vent, carried west-southwest by strong winds. Ash fall was recorded in the following areas:
* Negros Occidental – La Carlota City (barangays Ara-al, Yubo, San Miguel, La Granja, Cubay, Haguimit), La Castellana (barangays Biak-na-Bato, Mansalanao, Cabagna-an, Sag-ang, Masulog), Bago City (Mailum, Ilijan, Ma-ao, Binubuhan), Murcia (Minoyan), and Hinigran, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, San Enrique, and Moises Padilla
* Negros Oriental – Canlaon City (barangays Mananawin, Masulog, and Pula)
* Iloilo Province – Tigbauan, Iloilo City, Igbaras, Miag-ao, Oton, Guimbal, and Pavia
* Antique – San Jose de Buenavista, Belison, San Remigio, and Patnongon
* Guimaras – San Lorenzo, San Miguel, Nueva Valencia, and Sibunag
A sulfuric odor was reported as far as the Bago City proper.
Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) — hot mixtures of volcanic gas, ash, and fragmented rock — descended south-southeast of the volcano.
The longest descent, at two to 3.4 kilometers, occurred in Barangay Masulog, La Castellana, within the four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).
Local Impacts and Safety Measures
Barangays Biak-na-Bato, Mansalanao, Cabagna-an, Sag-ang, Masulog (La Castellana) and Mananawin, Masulog (Canlaon City) were impacted by PDCs.
The eruption also caused a pressure wave experienced as loud booms within a 30-kilometer radius.
Alert Level 3 has been raised over Kanlaon Volcano, indicating a heightened risk of stronger eruptions.
Residents within a six-kilometer radius are urged to evacuate due to potential PDCs, ash fall, and other hazards.
Provincial Responses
The Guimaras provincial government issued advisories for residents to wear masks, stay indoors, and avoid exposure to ash.
In Antique, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) suspended the Binirayan Food Festival and classes in Belison, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, and Anini-y towns.
Precautionary measures suggested included sealing water sources, wearing protective gear, and limiting outdoor activities.
In Iloilo, the Provincial Health Office (IPHO) led by Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon reminded residents of health risks such as respiratory issues and eye irritation. The IPHO advised people to stay indoors, use protective gear, and prepare emergency supplies.
Residents in affected are urged to:
* wear masks and goggles
* avoid unnecessary travel
* seal homes to prevent ash entry
* monitor updates from local authorities and PHIVOLCS
* stay hydrated
For property and livelihoods:
* cover water sources
* protect animals (keep livestock in covered shelters and provide clean water and feed)/PN
