Kanlaon spews ash anew

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the threat of another eruption, Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island twice emitted ash yesterday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Phivolcs noted that ash emissions lasted 10 to 47 minutes, reaching as high as 500 meters with a west and west-southwest drift.

“This event generated grayish plumes that rose 500 meters above the crater before drifting west as recorded in the Mansalanao La Castellana station and Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in Canlaon City,” the agency said.

Phivolcs measured the release of sulfur dioxide to be at 5,640 tons per day. Its observations centers recorded at least 22 volcanic earthquakes over a 24-hour period.

The agency said that the swelling of the volcano persists.

In case the volcano erupts again, Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured Negrenses that the DSWD is ready to assist.

“All hands are on deck to address the needs of affected families and may call for bigger humanitarian response with the continued restiveness of Mt. Kanlaon,” Gatchalian said, noting that the DSWD is nearing its target of 100,000 family food packs for stockpiling.

“From the very start when Kanlaon experienced restiveness and until now, the DSWD continues to provide family food packs,” he added.

Gatchalian said a total of 100,000 family food packs (FFP) would be prepositioned across DSWD-managed warehouses and in other facilities owned by local government units in Negros.

“On top of what we already have on the ground, which is around 60,000 FFPs, we will rev it up by Wednesday to 100,000 in the whole island of Negros. So that no matter what happens, there would be more than enough supply for everybody,” Gatchalian said.

Teresito Bacolcol, Phivolcs director, warned over the weekend that Kanlaon might erupt again in a manner similar to the Dec. 9 event when it spewed voluminous plumes that rapidly rose to 4,000 meters.

Bacolcol said that Kanlaon has recently been showing behavior similar to those recorded prior to the Dec. 9 eruption. — Gilbert Bayoran