Mt. Kanlaon emits gray ash

STILL RESTIVE A footage of the ash emitted by Mt. Kanlaon as recorded by the Canlaon City Observation station IP Camera on Nov. 2. —Canlaon City government photo

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — State volcanologists and local authorities in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental are closely monitoring the restive Mt. Kanlaon as it has been emitting gray ash since the weekend.

Mari-Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) at the Mt. Kanlaon Observatory, said the volcano, which straddles the two Negros provinces, last spewed gray ash from 6:43 a.m. to 7:06 a.m. on Nov. 5.

Thin layers of gray ash descended on Barangays Cabacungan and Cabagnaan in La Castellana, Negros Occidental; and Barangay Masulog in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.

READ: Kanlaon Volcano’s sulfur dioxide emission up; alert level 2 stays

Phivolcs on Tuesday reported that the volcano had eight volcanic earthquakes and emitted 4,768 tons of sulfur dioxide.

“It is not an eruption event. Our concern is the ashfall,” Quintia said.

Thin layers of volcanic ash and sulfuric odor from Kanlaon Volcano were also reported in few areas in Negros Occidental’s cities of La Carlota and Bago City and La Castellana town during the weekend.

Wear masks

In case of ashfalls, people were advised to cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask.

Mayor Rex Jalandoon of La Carlota City said there was a thin layer of ashfall and sulfur smell in Barangay Araal on Sunday.

Barangay Yubo residents also reported the faint smell of sulfur, he added.

Residents of La Carlota have been advised to wear masks, stay indoors during ashfall incidents and to be vigilant, Jalandoon said.

In La Castellana town, residents, especially the elderly and those with comorbidities, were also encouraged to wear masks when the volcano emits ash that lands in their areas, said John de Asis, La Castellana Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government has been on standby and is prepared for any eventuality.

“Personally, I am hoping it will not erupt because at this time of the year, November, most of the local governments, especially in that area have already exhausted their budgets for calamities,” he added.

The volcano erupted on June 3, causing thousands to flee their homes.

The eruption also resulted in spewing coarse ashfall and sulfurous fumes that damaged P84.1 million in crops and fisheries.

Top priority

A top priority, Lacson said, is to make sure that the 4-kilometer danger zone near the volcano is free of any inhabitants.

He reminded residents to cooperate if there was a need to evacuate.

“I am hoping that when it is time to evacuate, the cooperation will be there,” the governor said.

Dr. Maria Girlie Pinongan, Negros Occidental provincial health officer, said they are continuing to monitor the health conditions of residents around Kanlaon with the sulfur and ash emissions but have not noted any increase in respiratory ailments.

Kanlaon remains under alert level 1 (increased unrest) and sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions could occur, Phivolcs warned.

Mt. Kanlaon, which covers 24,557.60 hectares of land area with rain forests and verdant vegetation, straddles the cities of Bago, La Carlota and San Carlos and the towns of Murcia and La Castellana in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.