Mt. Kanlaon Alert Level 2 Rise
The Mt. Kanlaon in the northern part of Negros Oriental has raised its alert levels from 1 (Low Level of Unrest) to 2 (Moderate Level of Unrest) on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) released an alert rise notice at 9:45 am on November 15, 2015. This was to notify that the active volcano in the city of Canlaon has yet again raised.
Mt. Kanlaon Rise Updates
In the past 24 hours, PHILVOCS has recorded that Mt. Kanlaon’s seismic monitoring network has totaled to two hundred seventy-nine (279) deep volcanic earthquakes. The number of volcanic earthquakes has continuously increased since August 18, 2017. PHILVOCS has stated in their notice that “There has been no visible degassing or steaming from the active vent this year, although increased unrest could possible develop into steam-driven or phreatic eruption at the summit”.
Trekking in Mt. Kanlaon was reopened back in July, with alert level 0, however, other hiking and trekking activities has to be cancelled as of now for safety reasons. .
Evacuation and Preparation
PHILVOCS science research analyst Benjamin Tanatan said that continuous monitoring of the active volcano is still ongoing. There will be no evacuation recommendation for the nearby residence of Mt. Kanlaon. Although the active volcano is still in alert level 2, the Civil Defense Office of Negros Oriental made an early preparation and worst-case-scenario evaluation. This will serve as an early preparation and evacuation for the possible disaster.
Their office showed that five barangays of Canlaon City will affect not less than 11,000 residents may be affected if the situation worsens. Another 20,000 individuals from 5 barangays of La Castellana in Negros Occidental will be also affected if the volcano status rises up to alert level 3.
If it reaches alert level 4, five barangays (4, 2,500 residence) in La Carlota City will be affect, another 500 residence from two barangays in Bago City, and one barangay in Murcia town. Two more barangays in San Carlos City will be affected if the rise continuous to alert level 5.
