• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has reported the heightened activity of Kanlaon Volcano, which remains on Alert Level 2, or heightened volcanic unrest.
Daryll Arro, PHIVOLCS Science Research Analyst based in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, reported on Tuesday the occurrence of 31 volcano tectonic (VT) quakes as of September 30, compared to seven quakes in the previous monitoring.
From past midnight to 11:30 a.m. of Tuesday, Arro said they recorded eight more VT quakes.
This would indicate a possible rising of magma, fluid or gas to the crater, he further said.
Sulfur dioxide emissions were also noted by Phivolcs to have increased to 1,141 tons on Sept. 29, compared to 1,027 on Sept. 28. Plumes were observed reaching 150 meters from the summit before drifting southwest.
With this heightened activity of the volcano, Arro raised the possibility of ash emissions and minor eruption.
The basis for it, according to Arro, is not on the number of VT quakes, but its strength.
He reported that the strongest VT quake was recorded at 2.7 magnitude on Tuesday.
Ground deformation is still noted at Kanlaon Volcano, which means that the ground around the volcano is swelling or bulging outward.*
