• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded an increase in volcanic quakes and sulfur dioxide gas emission from Mt. Kanlaon in the past 24 hours compared to the previous days.
Phivolcs logged 55 volcanic quakes as of Sept. 22 compared to only 25 on Sept. 21, and 45 on Sept. 20.
It also recorded an emission of 10,449 tons of sulfur dioxide from the volcano summit on Sept. 22 compared to 10,228 tons spewed on Sept. 21, and 8,932 tons on Sept. 19.
In a televised interview at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol raised the possibility of another eruption, similar to what happened on June 3, as the volcano remains under heightened alert.
Alert Level 2 indicates that a state of increasing unrest still prevails at the 8,087-feet tall Kanlaon volcano, which prohibits the entry at the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone.
The Phivolcs advisory stated that steam-driven explosions or phreatic eruptions are also likely to happen soon.
State volcanologists noted increased seismic activity at the volcano since its eruption three months ago.
The volcano edifice remains inflated.
Phivolcs also reported sulfur stench in barangays of Mailum and Ilijan in Bago City, Negros Occidental, Barangays Pula, Lumapao and Malaiba in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, and the Kanlaon volcano observatory. | GB
