Negros LGUs on watch amid Kanlaon’s ‘moderate unrest’

In Bago City, the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) said in its Facebook post that its contigency plan for Mt. Kanlaon is being reviewed. (Photo: By Studphil – Own work, Public Domain)

BACOLOD CITY— Local government units (LGUs) surrounding the Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Occidental are on watch after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the volcano’s status to Alert Level 2 on Wednesday morning.

The new alert status means moderate level of unrest, according to the Kanlaon Volcano Bulletin 15.

In Bago City, the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) said in its Facebook post that its contigency plan for Mt. Kanlaon is being reviewed.

The pre-disaster risk assessment would be the next step, it added.

Dr. Merijene Ortizo, head of LDRRMO, was also shown in a photo discussing the volcano’s Alert Level 2 status with village chief HernaniAbindan of Barangay Ilijan, which is located at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon.

In La Castellana, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) reminded its residents in a Facebook post to keep safe amid the volcano’s moderate level of unrest.

The MDRRMO also warned the public that “entry to five-kilometer danger zone is strictly prohibited.”

“Kanlaon monitoring system record increased amount of volcanic quake probably magmatic in origin could eventually lead to eruption,” it added.

Kanlaon Volcano Bulletin 15 stated that seismic monitoring network recorded 279 deep volcanic earthquakes for the past 24 hours since Wednesday morning.

“There has been no visible degassing or steaming from the active vent this year, although increased unrest could possibly develop into steam-driven or phreatic eruptions at the summit,” it further stated. “There is probable intrusion of magma at depth which may or may not lead to a magmatic eruption.”

The PHIVOLCS reminded the LGUs and the public that entry into the five-kilometer radius permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited due to the further possibilities of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ejecta from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft, it added.