Kanlaon Volcano Erupts Again, Ash Column Towers 2.5 km High
An eruption at Mount Kanlaon sent a massive ash plume 2,500 metres (1.5 miles) into the evening sky on Thursday, with authorities warning that stronger explosions could follow in the coming days. The blast began at 7:04 p.m. (1104 GMT) and lasted about two minutes, according to Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
“This is the second moderate eruption in a week,” Bacolcol said, cautioning that pressure may still be building beneath the volcano. “There might be a bigger explosive eruption in the next few days.”
Loud Boom, Ashfall in Nearby Towns
PHIVOLCS said the eruption produced a thick ash column that drifted southwest, while glowing volcanic fragments — known as incandescent ballistics — were seen falling around the crater. Residents in surrounding communities described hearing a sudden explosion before ash began settling over rooftops and streets.
“We heard a loud boom, and shortly after that, ashfall was reported in several areas,” said John De Asis, a rescuer in La Castellana town. Emergency personnel distributed face masks as ash descended on neighbourhoods.
Alert Level Under Watch
Kanlaon, one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines, remains under Alert Level 2 on the country’s five-point warning system. Officials said they would observe activity for 24 hours before deciding whether to raise it to Level 3. Bacolcol noted that recent low sulfur dioxide emissions suggested a possible blockage in the volcanic vent, allowing gas pressure to accumulate — a condition that can trigger more forceful eruptions.
A four-kilometre exclusion zone remains in place around the volcano, which spans Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental provinces.
A Nation on the Ring of Fire
The Philippines lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a highly active seismic belt that contains more than half of the world’s volcanoes. The country’s deadliest modern eruption was that of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which killed more than 800 people and caused widespread destruction. Authorities continue to monitor Kanlaon closely as communities brace for possible further activity.
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