More blasts possible after Kanlaon Volcano explosive eruption - Phivolcs

Metro Manila, Philippines - Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island went on a “moderately explosive eruption” on Tuesday, April 8, with ashfall reported in some nearby villages.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the 56-minute eruption began at 5:51 a.m., producing a four-kilometer tall plume that drifted southwest.

The local government said 12 barangays in La Carlota City were hit by ashfall.

Phivolcs said other areas that had thin ashfall were Barangay San-ang and Mansalanao in La Castellana, and Barangay Mailum, Ilijan, and Binubuhan in Bago City.

“Sulfurous fumes were also experienced strongly in Brgy. Cubay, La Carlota City and faintly as far as the Municipality of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental,” the agency said.

Phivolcs said pyroclastic density currents — or mixtures of fragmented volcanic particles, hot gases, and ash — have descended the slopes on Mt. Kanlaon’s general southern edifice.

By the afternoon, a grassfire hit the eastern upper slopes of the volcano caused by what the agency called “superheated ballistic fragments.”

“Pwede pa rin itong masundan ng similar short-lived explosive eruptions or even mas malakas pa,” Phivolcs director Teresito Balcolcol told government channel PTV. “In fact, the eruption that we saw this morning is a repeat of what we saw last Dec. 9 — halos parehas ang ash column na umabot ng four kilometers.”

[Translation: This can still be followed by similar short-lived eruptions or even stronger ones. In fact, the eruption that we saw this morning is a repeat of what we saw last Dec. 9 — almost the same height of ash column reaching four kilometers.]

“Pwede pong magkaroon ng lava flow. Isa yan sa mga scenarios na tinitingnan natin, but in the past, it was only in 1902 naglabas ng lava,” Bacolcol added.

[Translation: There could be a lava flow. It is one of the scenarios we are checking, but in the past, it was only in 1902 that the volcano spewed lava.]

The local governments of La Carlota, La Castellana, and Isabela in Negros Occidental have suspended face-to-face classes at all levels due to the eruption. The first two areas said the suspension would be “until further notice.”

Malacañang said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is providing family food packs and other non-food items for affected families.

The agency said Alert Level 3 or “magmatic unrest,” which was set in place after December’s eruption, remains over Mt. Kanlaon. 

Under Alert Level 3, residents within the six-kilometer radius danger zone of the volcano should be evacuated.

On Monday, Phivolcs recorded 14 volcanic earthquakes at the volcano. Kanlaon also released sulfur dioxide at 1,655 tons per day.

In a bulletin, volcanologists said the cause of the eruption could be the “blockage of volcanic gas emission (or closed-system degassing) and resulting pressurization and swelling of the edifice.”