• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island erupted anew Thursday night, Feb. 26 with pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) descending on its eastern and southeastern upper portion slopes within two kilometers of the summit crater.
This is the volcano’s second moderately explosive eruption since Feb. 19.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the eruption lasted for two minutes, from 7:04 p.m. to 7:06 p.m., with plume rising up to 2,500 meters above the crater before drifting southwest.
It was followed by continuous ash emissions, as high as 1,000 meters, above the crater, Phivolcs said.
Shock waves were experienced by residents of Barangay Yubo in La Carlota City, and Barangay Ilijan in Bago City as well as in Binalbagan, while weaker shockwave was reported in San Enrique.
Local chief executives of Isabela, La Castellana, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, and Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental announced the suspension of classes at all levels effective Friday (Feb. 27).
Sulfuric smell was also experienced by residents in barangays of Montilla and Macagahay, Odiong, and Magallon Cadre in Moises Padilla, Sibucao in Candoni, Minoyan in Murcia, Tinongan, Amin and Maytubig in Isabela, Sag-ang in La Castellana, Yubo in La Carlota, Pandan and Codcod in San Carlos City.
Light ashfall was reported in all 24 barangays of Hinigaran.
In a statement, Mayor Miguel Angelo Yulo reported sulfuric smell in several barangays of Isabela and encouraged town residents to stay indoors and wear face masks.
Ashfall was also reported in barangays of Calapnagan and Robles in La Castellana.
The La Carlota City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office reported that the glowing trails and fires visible during the Kanlaon Volcano eruption were caused by burning vegetation and superheated rocks, not lava flows.
As these PDCs and glowing ballistic boulders cascade down the dark, heavily vegetated slopes, they create an optical illusion of flowing lava while instantly carbonizing and igniting the trees and brush upon contact.
Phivolcs reported that PDCs have ignited a forest fire in the upper portion of La Castellana.
Seven families, composed of 26 individuals from Sitio Batacon in Barangay Yubo, La Carlota City, have evacuated to the poblacion.
The Moises Padilla municipal government distributed face masks to its residents. | GB
