Negros Oriental orders evacuation as Kanlaon Volcano activity rises

The local government of Negros Oriental has ordered the evacuation of residents in Canlaon City as Kanlaon Volcano's increased activity raises concerns of a potential eruption.

Residents of Camp 4 and Camp 7, located outside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone, are being relocated to safer areas.

Ocular inspections are also underway in the towns of Guihulngan, La Libertad, and Ayungon, which are being considered as evacuation centers for Canlaon City residents.

If Kanlaon reaches Alert Level 4, the local government will implement Oplan Exodus, a disaster response plan aimed at educating residents in high-risk areas. A memorandum of agreement will also be signed to assign evacuees to nearby towns.

An advisory from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued Saturday reported swelling in the middle to upper portion of Kanlaon’s eastern edifice and an abrupt increase in its inflationary tilt, , indicating possible pressurization and risk of eruption similar to the December 2024 event.

“The overall parameters may indicate that the shallow magma conduit of the volcano is undergoing pressurization, which could lead to an eruption similar to the 9 December 2024 event,” Phivolcs said. It also noted a drop in sulfur dioxide emissions to 2,029 tonnes on 9 January, down from an average of 5,000 tonnes per day.

On Monday, 12 January, Kanlaon emitted ash at 6:21 a.m., creating a plume that rose 500 meters from the crater.