‘INCREASED UNREST’ MAY BECOME A ‘STEAM-DRIVEN OR PHREATIC ERUPTIONS’
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised an Alert Level 2 status on Kanlaon Volcano in Negros province, as it warned of a possible “sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.”
In its bulletin issued on Wednesday, Phivolcs explained that Alert Level 2 status means that the volcano is undergoing a moderate level of unrest.
“There is probable intrusion of magma at depth which may or may not lead to a magmatic eruption,” the Phivolcs advisory noted.
Philvolcs then reminded local government units and the public that entry into Mt. Kanlaon’s four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is strictly prohibited due to 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 said.
The agency noted that for the past 24 hours, the volcano’s seismic monitoring network has recorded a total of 279 deep volcanic earthquakes.
“Since 18 August 2017, the number of volcanic earthquakes detected per day has continued to increase,” Phivolcs said.
“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 added.