Boom! Kanlaon's 2-Minute Explosion Sends Ash 2 Kilometers Down the Mountain, Shockwave Felt 30 KM Away
Mount Kanlaon exploded again — literally. A short but moderate explosive eruption rocked the volcano's summit crater on Thursday afternoon, February 19, at 4:39 PM. The blast lasted just two minutes but generated a dense dark gray plume that shot 2,000 meters above the vent before drifting southwest, followed by 40 straight minutes of continuous ash emission.
The eruption produced hazardous pyroclastic density currents — hot volcanic gas, ash, and fragmented rocks — that descended the upper slopes within one kilometer of the crater and reached at least two kilometers downslope on the southwest flank. Ang lakas: the shockwave was heard as a booming sound and felt more than 30 kilometers away, with instruments recording a maximum pressure wave of 225 Pascals.
Light to moderate ashfall blanketed 41 barangays across six cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental, while sulfurous fumes were observed in La Carlota City, Bago City, and Moises Padilla. Before the blast, Phivolcs had detected 10 volcanic earthquakes, seven of which were low-frequency events linked to volcanic gas movement.
Phivolcs explained that a blockage of volcanic gas pathways from the deep magma source likely caused the pressure buildup that triggered Thursday's explosion — the same mechanism behind previous moderately explosive events since June 2024. Despite the dramatic eruption, Alert Level 2 (moderate unrest) remains in effect, with the 4-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone strictly off-limits.
The agency warned that similar short-lived explosive eruptions may follow and could escalate further. Residents near lahar-prone areas were urged to stay alert, especially with heavy rains that could turn loose ash into deadly flows. Aircraft near the volcano remain banned as Phivolcs continues round-the-clock monitoring.
Source: SunStar
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