Phivolcs records 24 earthquakes at Kanlaon

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday recorded at least 24 volcanic earthquakes at Kanlaon Volcano in Negros, amid the threat of another possible eruption.

- With Michael Punongbayan

State volcanologists said the volcano also produced 4,636 tons per day of sulfur dioxide and a plume that reached as high as 100 meters, drifting southwest.

"Continuous degassing with occasional ash emission was also observed," Phivolcs said, adding that the volcano edifice is also inflated.

Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol earlier said a hazardous eruption is still possible and warned that magma and lahar pose a threat to residents around the volcano.

"That's the reason why we raised Alert Level 3. The meaning of Alert Level 3 is that a hazardous eruption is possible in the following weeks," Bacolcol said.

He said that aside from magma, the threat of lahar is possible.

"We asked those living especially along the rivers, even though they are far from the six-kilometer danger zone, to take precautionary measures as the rains can generate lahar," he said.