PHIVOLCS: At least 26 daily volcanic quakes at Kanlaon so far in 2025

For the third straight day, at least 26 volcanic earthquakes were observed at Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island, data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) showed Saturday.

In separate bulletins, state volcanologists said Kanlaon registered 26 volcanic quakes on January 1, and 27 quakes on January 2 and 3.

On New Year's Eve, state volcanologists logged as many as 45 earthquakes.

Eight volcanic tremors lasting 10 to 282 minutes long were also recorded on January 1, while nine tremors with durations of 14 to 142 minutes were logged on January 2.

Ash emission events were recorded during the first two days of 2025.

In its latest bulletin covering the monitoring period of 12 a.m. Friday to 12 a.m. Saturday, PHIVOLCS did not observe any ash emissions at Kanlaon.

The volcano, however, continued to spew sulfur dioxide at 5,840 tons per day.

Its plume was described as moderate, rising 750 meters high and drifting northwest and west. Continuous degassing was observed.

Kanlaon's edifice remained inflated.

Alert Level 3, signifying intensified unrest, remained in effect at Kanlaon.

The heightened alert level was hoisted after the volcano had an explosive eruption on December 9, which has displaced thousands of residents from numerous communities.

Under Alert Level 3, magmatic intrusion to shallow levels of the edifice is driving unrest, with indications that hazardous eruption may occur in weeks.

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

With this, the danger zone was expanded to a radius of six kilometers from the summit crater or active vent.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) earlier said it was preparing for a possible raising of the alert level at Kanlaon Volcano, noting that a lava, flow, violent eruption, or plateau in volcanic activity may arise. — VDV, GMA Integrated News