MANILA, Philippines — On Tuesday, approximately 87,000 individuals were in the process of being evacuated from a central Philippine area, following a dramatic eruption the day prior from Mount Kanlaon. This volcanic event produced a towering ash cloud and unleashed extremely hot gas and debris cascading down the volcano’s western slopes.
Although there were no reported casualties from the latest eruption, officials elevated the alert status by one level, signaling a heightened risk of future, potentially explosive volcanic activity. Volcanic ash was dispersed over a vast region, reaching as far as Antique province, situated over 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) across the sea from the volcano, diminishing visibility and raising health concerns, according to the Philippine chief volcanologist, Teresito Bacolcol, along with other officials.
The eruption prompted the cancellation of at least six domestic flights, as well as a flight to Singapore, along with the diversion of two local flights in the vicinity on Monday and Tuesday, as communicated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Urgent evacuations were being executed for communities closest to the western and southern flanks of Kanlaon, which were heavily covered in ash. This included La Castellana in Negros Occidental, where around 47,000 individuals were required to evacuate from a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) danger zone, as reported by the Office of Civil Defense. By Tuesday morning, more than 6,000 evacuees had relocated to emergency shelters, alongside those who sought refuge with relatives in La Castellana, as shared by the town mayor, Rhumyla Mangilimutan.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured that the government was prepared to assist the large number of displaced residents, and he noted that his social welfare secretary made an early visit to the impacted area. “We are ready to support families evacuated outside the 6-kilometer danger zone,” Marcos informed media representatives.
Authorities were actively monitoring air quality due to potential contamination from harmful volcanic gases, which could lead to additional evacuations in response to Monday’s eruption. Disaster-response teams were quickly establishing evacuation centers and gathering essential supplies such as face masks, food, and hygiene items in anticipation of the forthcoming Christmas season, a time typically associated with increased travel and family gatherings in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.
In the most at-risk areas, schools were closed, and a nighttime curfew was imposed. The Philippines’ Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the eruption of Kanlaon on Monday lasted nearly four minutes and resulted in a pyroclastic density current—a lethal mix of gas, ash, debris, and rocks capable of incinerating everything in its path.
Bacolcol described it as a “one-time but major eruption,” adding that scientists were investigating whether the event released old volcanic debris or was triggered by ascending magma from beneath the surface. He also mentioned that few volcanic earthquakes were recorded prior to the eruption.
The alert level around Mount Kanlaon was raised to the third-highest tier of a five-level warning system, indicating that a “magmatic eruption” may have commenced, with potential for escalating into more violent eruptions. The volcano, standing at 2,435 meters (7,988 feet), is one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines and last erupted in June, prompting the relocation of numerous villagers to emergency shelters at the time.
Notably, in 1996, three hikers lost their lives near the summit after a sudden eruption from Kanlaon, while several others were subsequently rescued. The Philippines, situated in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is known for its vulnerability to both earthquakes and volcanic activities, as well as experiencing roughly 20 typhoons and storms each year, making it one of the countries most susceptible to natural disasters.
