FILE PHOTO: Mt. Kanlaon or Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island is shown emitting a massive amount of ash on Monday morning, December 23, 2024, two weeks after its eruption on December 9. —PHOTO COURTESY OF JERICK CONDE RICAPLAZA
MANILA, Philippines — Kanlaon Volcano released more sulfur dioxide on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
Based on the last 24-hour monitoring of Phivolcs, the volcano located between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental emitted a total of 6,014 tons of sulfur dioxide on Wednesday, which is greater than the 3,585 tons of sulfur dioxide it discharged the day before.
The state volcanologist also said Mt. Kanlaon generated a “voluminous” plume that reached 400 meters tall and drifted west, west-northwest, and southwest.
However, Phivolcs told INQUIRER.net that no vog was observed in the volcano’s crater.
Phivolcs said it recorded two ashing events at Kanlaon Volcano on Christmas Day that lasted 59 to 65 minutes. The first and second emissions occurred from 11:08 a.m. to 12:07 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:35 p.m., respectively.
READ: Kanlaon Volcano spews 300-meter ash plume on Christmas Day
The last 24-hour monitoring of Phivolcs likewise logged 25 volcanic earthquakes and five volcanic tremors, lasting three to 40 minutes, at Mt. Kanlaon.
Kanlaon Volcano erupted last December 9, producing a voluminous plume that rapidly rose to 3,000 meters above the vent and drifted west-southwest. It prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents from Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
READ: Negros Oriental town braces for evacuees fleeing Kanlaon
It remains under Alert Level 3, which means Mt. Kanlaon is under magmatic unrest and recommends the evacuation of people within a six-kilometer radius from the volcano’s summit.
Phivolcs reiterated that flying aircraft close to the volcano is still prohibited and warned of possible hazards such as sudden explosive eruption, lava flow, ash fall, rockfall, lahar during heavy rains, and pyroclastic flow.