Kanlaon Volcano emits more ash, sulfur dioxide gas

Kanlaon Volcano had an increase in ash emission events, sulfur dioxide gas release, and volcanic earthquakes on Monday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said on Tuesday.

In its bulletin, PHIVOLCS said nine ash emission events were recorded over the volcano on Monday, which lasted from three minutes to one hour and 16 minutes. This is higher compared to the seven ash emission events on Sunday.

Kanlaon Volcano also emitted 7,079 tonnes of sulfur dioxide gas, which is higher compared to the 6,559 tonnes reported in the previous bulletin.

Voluminous emission of plumes reaching up to 300 meters and continuous degassing with occasional ash emission were also observed from the volcano, which drifted to the west-northwest, northwest, and west directions.

From only 23 on Sunday, PHIVOLCS said 26 volcanic earthquakes were recorded over Kanlaon Volcano on Monday, including nine volcanic tremors. They lasted from six minutes to one hour and 16 minutes, the agency added.

The volcano edifice is still inflated. 

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.

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.

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.