Sulfur dioxide fumes from Kanlaon Volcano hit parts of Negros Occidental

MANILA, Philippines – Sulfur dioxide (SO2) fumes were reported in parts of Negros Occidental on Wednesday, August 21, due to increased emission from Kanlaon Volcano.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in an advisory that SO2 emission from Kanlaon reached 6,720 tons per day on Wednesday.

“This is the second highest emission from the volcano recorded this year and since instrumental gas monitoring began,” Phivolcs added.

As a result, several barangays in La Carlota City and the municipality of La Castellana, located in Negros Occidental province, reported fumes.

Phivolcs noted that Kanlaon’s SO2 emission has been “particularly elevated” at a current average of 3,247 tons per day since its eruption last June 3. Prior to the eruption, it was already “degassing increased concentrations” of SO2 at an average of 1,273 tons per day.

When the volcano is not in a state of unrest, the typical emission is less than 300 tons per day.

There were also 15 volcano-tectonic earthquakes on Wednesday, “generated by rock fracturing 0 to 8 kilometers beneath the northeastern sector of the edifice.”

In addition, state volcanologists have observed “slow but sustained inflation (swelling) and pressurization of the edifice since March 2022.”

All these parameters indicate that “shallow magmatic processes beneath the volcano are actively driving unrest.” This means there are higher chances of “explosive eruptions or even [a] hazardous magmatic eruption.”

Kanlaon has been under Alert Level 2 since its June 3 eruption.

Phivolcs reminded the public not to enter the 4-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone surrounding Kanlaon “to minimize risks from volcanic hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, rockfall, and others.” Ashfall and lahar flows remain possible as well. – Rappler.com