Volcano in “Explosive Eruption” in the Philippines, Alert Level Raised
Authorities are urging residents to wear masks due to the risk of volcanic ash fall and gas emissions.
Published on 06/03/2024 17:56
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Authorities have reported an “explosive eruption” that lasted for six minutes and sent a plume of ash five kilometers into the air. Mount Kanlaon, located on the island of Negros in the Philippines, awakened on Monday, June 3, as announced by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The institute has raised the alert level from one to two on a scale of five.
They have also warned of the likely occurrence of ash, rock, and gas flows, known as pyroclastic flows, on the volcano’s slopes. Meanwhile, authorities are encouraging residents to wear masks due to the risk of volcanic ash fall and gas emissions.
The Philippines are situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes. Kanlaon is one of the 24 active volcanoes in the archipelago. Eruptions can be devastating, with flows and ash fall posing a threat to the population. Mudflows can also occur later on during heavy rains, burying entire villages under volcanic sediments.
The most powerful volcanic eruption in the Philippines in recent decades was the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, located about a hundred kilometers from Manila. It resulted in the loss of over 800 lives.