The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) monitored increased seismic activities over Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon and Mount Kanlaon in the Negros Island Region, advising the general public to stay away from danger zones amid risks of possible hazards.
In a Sunday morning advisory, Phivolcs said the Bulusan Volcano network registered a total of 72 volcanic earthquakes over the past 24 hours.
“These volcano-tectonic earthquakes are associated with rock fracturing and are occurring at depths less than 10 kilometers beneath the northern sector of the volcano,” it noted.
While the volcano remains under Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest), Phivolcs said there are “increased chances of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions occurring from the crater and/or is active vents on the summit that could occur suddenly and without warning.”
Local government units and the general public were, therefore, reminded to stay away from permanent danger zones within the four-kilometer radius. Vigilance was also enforced in the two-kilometer extended danger zone.
Meanwhile, in an earlier Facebook post, Phivolcs said it recorded a 30-minute fresh ash emission event at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano. It generated grayish plumes that rose up to 300 meters, drifting southeast from its observation station in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Alert Level 2, indicating increased unrest, prevails over the volcano. Over the past 24 hours, the state seismic agency monitored at least three volcanic earthquakes from Kanlaon, which released 2,693 tons of sulfur dioxide.
Phivolcs warned of possible “sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions” and “precursory magmatic activity” under its current conditions. As such, entry into the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zones and flying any type of aircraft near the volcano also remain prohibited.
