Kanlaon Volcano erupts, PHIVOLCS raises alert level

MOUNT Kanlaon in the Negros Island erupted at 3:03 p.m. this Monday afternoon spewing thousand of kilometers of ash and thick smoke, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanogy and Siesmology (PHIVOLCS), as they raised the Alert Level to 3.

The eruption produced a voluminous plume that quickly rose to 4,000 meters or 4 kilometers, says PHIVOLCS. The heavy flows of ash and debris known as Pyroclastic Density (PDC) descended on the southern slope, proposing additional hazards for the residents. 

Local Government Units (LGUs) were advised to evacuate the 6-kilometer radius of the volcano as the probability of more explosive eruptions looms. Forced evacuations for residents living near the foot of Kanlaon were imposed in barangays such as Pula, Masulog, Malaiba, and Lumapao in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental. 

During a live broadcast, Mayor Butchok Cardenas emphasized the importance of safety before anything else. 

On the other hand, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that they are already preparing family food packs in the affected areas, along with other items such as hygiene kits, modular tents, kitchen kits, family kits, and sleeping kits. 

“More than 5,000 [food packs were] in Vallehermoso. We have prepositioned 10,000 in Guihulngan and another in Canlaon city,” said DSWD-Central Visayas Director Shalaine Lucero. 

It is estimated that around 12,000 families and 54,000 individuals across Region 6 and 7 would be affected. In line with this, the Incident Action Command Center (IACC) will be reactivated, constituting representatives from different agencies including Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and DSWD to streamline efforts more effectively. 

Kanlaon is just one of the 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines that recently showed seismic activities along with Taal. 

With reports from Joana Ocampo