• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Continuous degassing from Mt. Kanlaon’s summit crater has led to intermittent emissions of volcanic ash on Saturday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
In a bulletin issued yesterday, Phivolcs said the active volcano logged 14 volcanic quakes and six ashing events, with an average of 4,171 tons of sulfur dioxide emission on Nov. 2.
“The events generated light-gray plumes that rose 700 meters above the crater before drifting southwest,” it added.
Alert Level 2 remains in effect over the volcano as the activity within the four- kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) is strongly prohibited because sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions may take place.
On Nov. 1, Phivolcs recorded 84 volcanic quakes, which reduced to 31 the next day.
The first demarcation flag indicating the four-kilometer radius PDZ was recently installed in Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana, Negros Occidental to enhance community safety in the event of Mt. Kanlaon volcanic alert escalation.
As procurement for additional materials continues, plans are in place to install more flags in the coming months to further delineate the danger zone, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-6.
The Protected Area Management Board of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park has passed a resolution concurring with the move of Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council-6 to declare the four-kilometer radius PDZ set by Phivolcs as a strict protection zone.
While farming within the PDZ will be allowed, OCD-6 regional director Raul Fernandez said the building of permanent structures is prohibited.
Fernandez also encouraged the planting of fruit-bearing trees along the slope of the volcano. | GB
