The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported an ash emission activity reaching 500 meters and lasting for 10 minutes at Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island on Sunday.
It recorded 14 volcanic earthquakes, including two weak tremors, from 50 minutes to one hour and 57 minutes between Jan. 11 to Jan. 12 at 12 am. It produced 3,511 tons of sulfur dioxide on Saturday.
Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol, in an interview over dzBB said “we have noticed a ground deformation at the southeastern side. There is inflation. And if you look at our sulfur dioxide (emission), it suddenly decreased.”
“Although now, it (emission) is not that low before the Dec. 9 eruption, it (still) reached 1,699 tons per day. So, it only means that most likely, the volcano’s conduit has been blocked. That’s what we’re looking at because the summit is also inflated,” he added.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon Volcano, but local government authorities are expecting possible escalation to Alert Level 4 amid heightened seismic activity.
