FILE PHOTO: A resident of La Castellana town in Negros Occidental province observes a relatively calm Mt. Kanlaon on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, a day after the volcano spewed ash and rocks and forced residents in communities around the volcano to flee. Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines — Volcanic haze was observed Thursday in the Bicol Region following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. However, the smog already disappeared by Friday, June 7.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told INQUIRER.net on Friday that the Mayon and Bulusan Volcano observatories noticed the volcanic haze in the region through their visual monitors.
But the distance of the haze from the ground was undetermined.
READ: Kanlaon Volcano update: Alert Level 2 stays
According to the Phivolcs official, the volcanic haze was due to low wind speed and varying wind directions in different parts of the country.
“Based on Pagasa [Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration] air parcel of Kanlaon 06 June 2024, wind speed is less than 5m/s [meter per second] all throughout the Philippines, wind direction also varies kaya po napapadpad sa iba’t-ibang area (that’s why it goes to different areas),” Bacolcol explained in a Viber message.
READ: Kanlaon Volcano blast ruins crops, taints water
He likewise warned that even if the volcanic haze is no longer present in the Bicol Region, reduced visibility may still occur as exposed residents may possibly experience respiratory system irritation.
Mt. Kanlaon, or Kanlaon Volcano, erupted on Monday, June 3, spewing a plume as high as 5,000 meters. This prompted Phivolcs to raise Alert Level 2 on the volcano.
The phreatic eruption of Mt. Kanlaon and the lahar flow induced by rains after the explosion contaminated water sources and damaged millions of pesos worth of crops on Negros Island.
Mt. Kanlaon is located between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.