More ash emission events reported at Kanlaon — PHIVOLCS

Three ash emission events that lasted up to 52 minutes long were recorded at Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island on Thursday, according to the Friday bulletin of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The number of ash emission events is higher compared to the two similar events recorded on Wednesday.

Kanlaon Volcano released 5,756 tons of sulfur dioxide gas, which is lower compared to the 6,014 tons reported in PHIVOLCS' previous bulletin.

Moderate plumes reaching up to 100 meters high and a continuous degassing with occasional ash emissions were observed at the volcano. These drifted to the south-southwest and southwest directions.

A total of 16 volcanic earthquakes including six volcanic tremors of up to 52 minutes long were recorded over Kanlaon Volcano on Thursday.

These are fewer and shorter compared to the 20 volcanic earthquakes on Wednesday, which had one episode lasting one hour and 32 minutes.

The volcano's edifice is still inflated.

Alert Level 3 remains in effect 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 a hazardous eruption could occur in weeks.

On December 9, 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 at the slopes of the volcano.

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

The volcano's danger zone was expanded to a radius of six kilometers from the summit crater or active vent. — VDV, GMA Integrated News