Increased volcanic ash emission was recorded again at Kanlaon in Negros Island on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
"Since 11:45 a.m., dark ash has been issuing from the summit of Kanlaon Volcano accompanied by weak low frequency volcanic earthquake. This has produced a dark plume roughly 1.2 kilometers tall that is drifting to the northwest. Ash emission has been ongoing and ashfall is expected to fall over communities of Negros Occidental northwest to west of the volcano. All other parameters of the volcano remains elevated but are generally unchanged," PHIVOLCS stated in its 2:30 p.m. advisory.
The public is reminded that Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) is raised over Kanlaon Volcano.
"This means that there are increased chances for sudden and even stronger explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities at risk with life-threatening volcanic hazards," the advisory added.
Further, the advisory reads that: "communities within a six-kilometer radius of the summit crater must remain evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents or PDCs, ballistic projectiles and ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls and other related hazards. Local government units and disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) councils must also vigilantly monitor weather conditions in case heavy rainfall occurs and generates lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels draining the southern flanks of the volcano. Specifically, barangays of La Castellana and Canlaon City that have been impacted by PDCs, as well as barangays downstream of these especially those that have experienced lahars and muddy streamflows in June 2024, could be affected by channel-confined lahars of in case of heavy rains. Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. Lastly, local government units and DRRM councils are advised to prepare communities within the DOST-PHIVOLCS Pyroclastic Density Currents Hazard Map for potential evacuation in case unrest further escalates and hazardous worst-case explosive eruption becomes imminent."
DOST-PHIVOLCS maintains close monitoring of Kanlaon Volcano and any new development will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders.