Kanlaon Volcano erupts anew, Negrenses urged to stay vigilant

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Residents of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental were urged to stay calm yet alert after Kanlaon Volcano produced a moderately explosive eruption at 7:04 p.m. on Thursday — just a week after its previous activity on Feb. 19.

Alert Level 2 is currently maintained over Kanlaon Volcano, but according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the alert status may be raised in the next few hours should unrest persist or worsen.

The most recent explosive eruption and ash emission events may possibly be followed by a return to moderate unrest conditions, similar to what has been experienced in recent explosions of the volcano, or by the onset of fully magmatic unrest, the agency said.

In a Facebook post, Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas reminded residents of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental — especially those within the Permanent Danger Zone — to remain vigilant and avoid complacency, emphasizing that public safety remains the top priority.

Cardenas ordered all barangay captains to immediately activate their emergency response protocols. Barangay Emergency Response Teams and responders are on standby, while coordination with relevant agencies continues to closely monitor the situation.

La Castellana, Negros Occidental Vice Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, who was in Barangay Cabacungan when the eruption occurred, also called for vigilance without panic.

She specifically appealed to residents of Barangays Masulog, Biak na Bato, Sag-ang, Mansalanao and Cabagnaan to stay alert.

She likewise encouraged the community to pray for guidance and protection amid the calamity.

In La Carlota City, Mayor Jose Luis Jalandoni has secured water supplies for communities affected by the volcanic activity.

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya urged the public to limit outdoor activities and wear masks when going outside, as he cautioned that ash and other indirect effects could reach the city depending on wind direction. 

Pre-emptive evacuation

The recent eruption displaced 23 families composed of 81 individuals in three barangays in two local government units in the province.

Based on data from the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR), 13 families or 40 persons were evacuated from Barangays Ara-al and Yubo in La Carlota City, and 10 families or 41 individuals were displaced in one barangay in La Castellana.

Thirteen barangays were also affected in Binalbagan, but the OCD-NIR has yet to release data on the evacuees.

Of the total, 79 individuals were staying in evacuation centers, while two others were staying outside the evacuation centers. 

Ashfall

A total of 121 barangays in 16 local government units in the province experienced light to heavy ashfall following the eruption.

Based on the report from the Negros Occidental Operations Center, light to moderate ashfall was reported in Barangays San Juan and San Jose in Binalbagan; Barangays 1 to 9, Bulad, Bungahin, Rumirang and Guintubhan in Isabela; and Barangays Talaban, Aguisan, Saraet, Nabalian, Cabanbanan, 1 to 4, Caradio-an, To-oy, Su-ay, Cabadiangan, Carabalan and Libacao in Himamaylan City.

Light ashfall was reported in Barangays Ara-al and Yubo in La Carlota City; Barangay Codcod in San Carlos City; 16 barangays in Kabankalan City; five villages in Ilog; 25 villages in Cauayan; seven barangays in Sipalay City; one in Hinoba-an; and all 24 villages in Hinigaran.

Light to heavy ashfall was reported in Barangays Cabagna-an, Robles, Mansalanao, Nato, Lalagsan, Talaptap, Camandag, Manghanoy and Sag-ang in La Castellana, while heavy to moderate ashfall was reported in Barangays Pandan and Antipolo in Pontevedra.

A sulfuric smell was reported in Barangay Binbuhan, Bago City; Barangay Ara-al, La Carlota City; Barangays 6, Montilla Proper, Macagahay, Odiong and Magallon in Moises Padilla; all 24 barangays in Hinigaran; Barangays Tinongan, Amin and Maytubig in Isabela; and Barangay Codcod, San Carlos City.

The OCD-NIR also reported sulfuric smells in Barangay Sibucao, San Enrique, and Barangay Minoyan in Murcia.

A shock wave was felt in Barangay Yubo, La Carlota City; Himamaylan City; and Binalbagan — stronger than the Dec. 9, 2024, eruption per their respective local disaster risk reduction and management offices — as well as in Barangay Ilijan, Bago City, and weaker in La Castellana and San Enrique.

The OCD-NIR is currently coordinating with LGUs surrounding Kanlaon Volcano for impacts and incidents, along with their Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

Flushing of the roads from volcanic ash has been conducted. Phivolcs said that communities affected by ashfall must be safeguarded from the health impacts of ash inhalation as well as from impacts on transportation safety, food and water resources.

Binalbagan Mayor Emmanuel Aranda coordinated with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure strict monitoring and implementation of price control on face masks, protecting the public from overpricing.

Communities that have already been impacted by recent lahars must remain vigilant in case intense rains occur and erode newly deposited loose ash or pyroclastic material on the upper slopes to generate hot lahars and sediment-laden streamflow.

Class suspension

Nine local government units in the province ordered the suspension of classes on Friday, Feb. 27.

Class suspension was imposed in Canlaon City, Isabela, Binalbagan, La Castellana, three villages in La Carlota City, Hinigaran and Ilog, all in Negros Occidental, as well as one barangay in Murcia.

Only classes in Pandan Elementary School and Camingawan Elementary School in Barangay Antipolo, Pontevedra, were suspended.

Monitoring

According to the OCD-NIR, citing a report from Phivolcs, the volcano erupted at 7:04 p.m. and lasted for two minutes. It was followed by an ash emission at 7:07 p.m. that ended at 8:18 p.m.

The eruption generated a dense dark gray plume that rose 2,500 meters above the vent before drifting southwest.

Incandescent ballistic fragments were launched as high as 1.5 kilometers from the summit crater and landed as far as one kilometer to the south and 1.5 kilometers to the southeast, forming a briefly glowing collar on the summit area.

Pyroclastic density currents, hazardous mixtures of hot volcanic gas, ash and fragmented rock, descended the southeast and eastern upper slopes within two kilometers of the summit crater.

Rumbling sounds attributed to the explosion were reported as far as Southern Leyte, more than 175 kilometers east of the volcano, possibly due to the atmospheric refraction of the explosion sound waves.

The incandescent ballistics and superheated pyroclastic density currents ignited two patches of forest fire on the upper southern and southeastern margins of the forest canopy on the volcano slopes. The fires burned throughout the night and stopped at 8:19 a.m. on Friday based on camera observation.

According to Phivolcs, Thursday’s eruption was preceded by only nine volcanic earthquakes, including four low-frequency events associated with volcanic gas activity, but overall by relatively low seismic activity and volcanic gas emission in the past weeks.

Sulfur dioxide emission decreased to an exceedingly low average of 194 tonnes per day immediately prior to the eruption.

In comparison, sulfur dioxide has been continuously degassed at an average rate of 2,800 tonnes per day since June 3, 2024, when eruptive unrest began, and at 1,460 tonnes per day since Jan. 1, 2026.

On Friday, an ash emission occurred at 9:43 a.m., dispersing profuse ash southwest of the volcano.

Phivolcs advised LGUs to prepare their communities within the pyroclastic density current hazard zone, especially those within the six-kilometer radius, for subsequent evacuation in case unrest escalates and the alert level is raised.

Kanlaon Volcano, straddling the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, is the most active volcano in the central Visayas and one of the most active in the Philippines. The 2,435-meter stratovolcano has had 30 recorded eruptions since 1866. Its most significant recent eruption occurred on Dec. 9, 2024, which prompted mass evacuations and widespread ashfall across Negros Island.