Residents of Barangay Biak na Bato in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday work collectively to clear lahar that coated the village’s roads and blocked the movement of visitors. Lahar flowed by way of the village’s streams and rivers after rains washed down ash and particles. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The highest official of the state volcanology and seismology bureau denied claims that they did not warn the general public concerning the eruption of Mount Kanlaon.
Since 2023, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has been issuing advisories and cascading studies to involved authorities companies, together with native governments, about irregular volcanic exercise in Kanlaon, stated its director Teresito Bacolcol.
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In reality, in keeping with Bacolcol, they alerted nationwide authorities places of work on Might 26 and native authorities items (LGUs) close to Kanlaon to be vigilant after recording a minimum of 24 earthquakes that day.
“Usually Canlaon would solely have lower than 5 earthquakes a day however on Might 26, we recorded 24 earthquakes that’s the reason we issued an advisory, then informing the LGU that they should be vigilant,” stated Bacolcol.
The bureau even advisable LGUs to make sure nobody will enter the four-kilometer everlasting hazard zone, he added.
“Kay there’s at all times this chance nga magka phreatic eruption with out warning. So mao to, on Might 26, we issued an advisory due to the rising variety of earthquakes,” Bacolcol stated.
The Phivolcs’ director’s statements got here after native officers from Canlaon Metropolis reportedly didn’t obtain any warning from their bureau.
Canlaon, a metropolis in Negros Oriental and which lies on the japanese aspect of the volcano, was one of many severely affected by its phreatic eruption final June 3.
Whereas there isn’t any device that may precisely predict a volcanic eruption, volcanologists and seismologists monitor seismic actions like earthquakes and emissions of sulfur dioxide gasoline as indicators of a attainable eruption.
Phivolcs, in a report generated a day after Kanlaon erupted and spewed thick, ash cloud, said that they upgraded the volcano’s Alert Degree from 1 to Alert Degree 3 because of elevated seismic actions there.
In addition they noticed a rise in emission of sulfur dioxide gasoline since Might of final 12 months, averaging 1,273 tons per day. A volcano often emits lower than 300 tons of sulfur dioxide per day, Phivolcs stated.
“Since 2023, we already issued 5 advisories. Kind of we have already got an inkling of most likely that is going to erupt anytime quickly,” defined Bacolcol.
“Once more, we already knowledgeable the general public that they should be vigilant and in addition the native authorities unit concerning the chance nga this may have an eruption with out warning,” he added.
As of Thursday, June 6, Alert Degree 2 stays in impact over Kanlaon as Phivolcs, in its newest bulletin, recorded 27 volcanic earthquakes from midnight on June 5 to midnight of at the moment.
Bacolcol has reminded these residing close to Kanlaon to remain vigilant and steer clear of the four-kilometer everlasting hazard zone to keep away from getting caught in landslides and rock falls following the eruption.
He additionally suggested these with respiratory issues to put on face masks to guard them from volcanic ashes.
“These can irritate the lungs and our respiratory tract. Normally ang mga tawo nga naay problema sama sa bronchial asthma, sila maoy weak kaayo,” stated Bacolcol.
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