OCD, PHIVOLCS conduct aerial survey of Kanlaon Volcano

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Thursday inspected Kanlaon Volcano through an aerial survey.

Starting at 8:29 a.m., the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said the aerial survey lasted for almost an hour.  

Two S701 Black Hawk choppers were used for the activity to gather data on potential hazards after the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, according to the PAF.

The officials who joined the aerial survey were PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol, OCD Western Visayas chief Raul Fernandez, OCD Central Visayas director Joel Erestain, and other PAF officials.

“The inter-agency team utilized the aerial platforms to gain a comprehensive overview of the situation and identify areas requiring immediate attention. The said helicopters will also be utilized for the airlift of volumes of relief goods intended for the affected communities,” the PAF said.

On Monday, an explosive eruption occurred at the summit vent of Kanlaon Volcano, producing a voluminous plume that rapidly rose to 4,000 meters.

Ashfall was reported and pyroclastic density currents or PDCs descended the slopes of the volcano.

Alert Level 3 remains over Kanlaon Volcano, which means there is a high level of volcanic unrest. Magmatic intrusion to shallow levels of the edifice is driving unrest, with indications that hazardous eruption could occur in weeks. 

Possible hazards from the volcano include sudden explosive eruption, lava flow or effusion, ashfall, pyroclastic density current (PDC), rockfall, and lahars during heavy rains.

Danger zone was expanded to a radius of six kilometers from the summit crater or active vent.

A total of 39,258 persons or 9,942 families have been evacuated so far amid the activity of Kanlaon Volcano, according to the OCD on Wednesday.

This is only around 46% of the 84,549 target evacuees within the six-kilometer danger zone.—AOL, GMA Integrated News