• CHERYL G. CRUZ / GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An elevated volume of volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emission from the summit crater of Mount Kanlaon in Negros was logged anew July 2, at 5,083 tonnes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
This is the second highest emission from the volcano recorded this year, and the third since instrumental gas monitoring began, the Phivolcs said in its advisory at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The first was a few days ago, at 5,397 tonnes/day, during the June 28 monitoring.
“Kanlaon has been degassing increased concentrations of volcanic SO2 this year at an average rate of 1,273 tonnes/day prior to the June 3, 2024 eruption, but emission since then has been particularly elevated at a current average of 3,254 tonnes/day”, the advisory said.
It added that volcanic earthquake activity has persisted at an average of 10 a day since the eruption. “The overall monitoring parameters indicate that magmatic processes beneath the volcano may be driving current unrest, causing persistently high concentrations of volcanic gas emission, the swelling of the edifice, and occasional volcanic earthquake activity”.
Since then, SO2 gas emission has been particularly elevated at a current average of 3,254 tons per day, Phivolcs said, adding the normal emission of Kanlaon is at 300 tons a day.
Alert Level 2, or increasing unrest, prevails over Mount Kanlaon. “This means that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to explosive eruptions, or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption at the summit crater,” the Phivolcs said.
It urged the public not to enter the four kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and for pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit.
On the other hand, the number of livestock and chickens that died due to the Kanlaon phreatic eruption in three local government units in Negros Occidental increased to 4,764.
The Provincial Veterinary Office estimated the value of the dead animals at P1,248,000.
The poultry industry suffered the most, with 4,488 dead chickens, 103 goat and sheep, 98 swine, 53 carabaos, 16 cattle, and six dogs and cats.
The PVO said the animals succumbed to respiratory infections and digestive problems, due to sulfur inhalation.
The PVO added that it conducted a series of veterinary medical missions recently in the affected barangays, aimed at helping other animals in the area recover from burns and digestive problems. | CGC, GPB
