Phivolcs Urges Calm as Kanlaon Volcano Emits Ash

The director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Teresito Bacolcol, reassured the public on Tuesday not to panic over the recent ash emissions from Kanlaon Volcano. The volcano emitted ash twice early Tuesday morning, from 1:53 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. and again from 5:23 a.m. to 5:39 a.m., producing grayish plumes that ascended 300 meters above the crater and drifted westward. Bacolcol emphasized the importance of staying alert, adhering to official advisories, and refraining from spreading false information. He explained that the term ‘superheated’ used to describe the plume was due to the use of a thermal camera at night, which detects the heat of the plume, making it visible. During daylight, the plume’s visibility is due to its visual appearance rather than its heat. Bacolcol noted that while areas to the west of the volcano might experience some effects from the drifting ash, most of it likely settled on the volcano’s slopes due to the limited height of the plume. He also reminded the public to stay out of the 6-kilometer danger zone around the volcano, which remains at Alert Level 3.