BACOLOD City – An increase in seismic activity was monitored at Kanlaon volcano, thus the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) of Negros Occidental advised Negrenses living nearby to remain vigilant.
Nine volcanic earthquakes were recorded between 5 a.m. of Sept. 7 and 5 a.m. of Sept. 8, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Phivolcs also reported 36 volcanic earthquakes and 34 volcano-tectonic earthquakes between 5 a.m. of Sept. 4 and 7:50 a.m. of Sept. 6.
The tremors ranged in energy from magnitude 0.8 to 3.4 and occurred at depths of between zero to nine kilometers beneath the northeast flank of the Kanlaon range.
According to the PDMPD, they have counted at least 76,000 residents residing near the volcano.
PDMPD head Irene Bel Ploteña said among the villages located within Kanlaon’s four-kilometer danger zone are Biaknabato, Cabagnaan, Mansalanao, and Sag-ang in La Castellana town; Ara-al and Yubo in La Carlota City; Ilijan and Mailum in Bago City; and Codcod in San Carlos City.
Three villages, meanwhile, are located in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Ploteña added all residents living near the volcano should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice in the event that it becomes too dangerous.
Meanwhile, ground deformation data from continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) and electronic tilt measurements have been recording short-term inflation of the middle slopes since March this year and a longer-term inflation of the entire edifice since March 2022.
However, the volcanic sulfur dioxide emission at the summit crater has dropped, averaging 412 tonnes per day on Aug. 20, nearly 200 tonnes below the 623 tonnes per day measured last July.
Phivolcs reported that while monitoring parameters in the past months have been consistent with shallow hydrothermal activity driven by degassing of deeper magma, ongoing volcano-tectonic earthquake activity indicates that fracturing at deeper levels is occurring and may possibly lead to further unrest.
Kanlaon volcano straddles the border shared by Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. At 2,465 meters above sea level, it is the highest point in Negros Island and in the Visayas.
Kanlaon’s last phreatic eruption was on Dec. 20, 2017. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
