Kanlaon Volcano, located on Negros Island, displayed heightened activity on Monday, December 23, 2024, with increased ash emission reported by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
In an advisory issued at 12:30 p.m., PHIVOLCS confirmed that dark ash began spewing from the summit at 11:45 a.m., accompanied by a weak, low-frequency volcanic earthquake.
“This activity has produced a dark plume approximately 1.2 kilometers tall drifting to the northwest. Ash emission is ongoing, and ash fall is expected over communities in Negros Occidental located northwest to west of the volcano,” the advisory stated. PHIVOLCS noted that while all parameters of the volcano remain elevated, they are generally unchanged.
Kanlaon Volcano is under Alert Level 3, signifying magmatic unrest. This alert level indicates an increased likelihood of sudden and potentially stronger eruptions, posing life-threatening volcanic hazards to surrounding areas.
Residents within a six-kilometer radius of the summit crater are advised to remain evacuated due to the risks of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), ballistic projectiles, ashfalls, lava flows, and rockfalls.
Local Government Units (LGUs) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs) were urged to monitor weather conditions closely. Heavy rainfall could trigger lahar and sediment-laden streamflows along channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano. Barangays in La Castellana and Canlaon City, previously affected by PDCs and lahars in June 2024, are at heightened risk if rains occur.
Civil aviation authorities have also been instructed to advise pilots to avoid flying near Kanlaon’s summit, as volcanic ash poses significant hazards to aircraft.
PHIVOLCS emphasized the need for LGUs and DRRMCs to prepare for possible evacuations based on the DOST-PHIVOLCS Pyroclastic Density Currents Hazard Map, should volcanic activity escalate further.
Kanlaon Volcano’s ongoing activity underscores the importance of vigilance and preparedness. Communities near the volcano are advised to heed warnings and remain updated on developments to ensure their safety.