• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued a warning on Monday, Nov. 24, that heavy to intense rainfall in Negros Island may generate volcanic sediment flows or lahars, or muddy run-off and related siltation in rivers and drainage areas of Kanlaon Volcano.
Communities of La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Bago City, La Carlota City, and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental situated along the 17 rivers and creeks maybe affected.
Post-eruption lahars can be generated by intense rainfall eroding loose material from remnant pyroclastic density current deposits of the Oct. 24 explosive eruption and loose ashfall from this, as well as in recent ash emission events, it added.
In addition, non-eruption lahars can be generated when areas of the upper slopes that have been recently exposed by landslides or weakened during the passage of Typhoon Tino early this month become susceptible to failure and feed debris that have already delivered destructive flows to downstream communities, Phivolcs said.
On Monday, Phivolcs recorded two ash emission events, one of which lasted for almost 30 minutes.
As of past 12 a.m., Phivolcs also logged 26 volcanic quakes, with plumes as high as 100 meters.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. | GB
