HIGHEST VOLCANIC GAS RELEASED BY KANLAON VOLCANO RECORDED, PHIVOLCS

Since the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, the highest gas flux observed on Friday (Photo courtesy of GMA News)

The highest level of volcanic gas released by the Kanlaon Volcano was recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday. Based on the advisory, an average of 5,397 tons of volcanic sulfur dioxide was released by Kanlaon yesterday.

This is almost double the 3,175 tons per day average since the Kanlaon volcano erupted on June 3. Despite this, the Kanlaon volcano remained at Alert Level 2.

Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said that, "It could be due to the interaction of groundwater and volcanic gases, or shifts in magma movement. When groundwater heats up, it can carry dissolved SO2 to the surface, increasing emissions.”

Since the eruption, an average of ten volcanic earthquakes events have been reported every day. with the summit crater potentially experiencing a hazardous magmatic eruption or explosive eruption.

"The overall monitoring parameters indicate that magmatic processes beneath (the) volcano may be driving current unrest, causing persistently high concentrations of volcanic gas emission, swelling of the edifice, and occasional volcanic earthquake activity," Phivolcs said in an advisory.

Additionally, the public was urged to stay out of the Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), which has a radius of four kilometers surrounding the volcano, and to take the appropriate safety measures in case of ash fall and lahar flows.

According to Phivolcs, aviation authorities are instructed to advise pilots to avoid cautious of flying in close proximity to the volcano's summit since ash and ballistic pieces from an unexpected eruption may cause a risk to aircraft.

Source: GMA Integrated News

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