Kanlaon Volcano erupts spewing ash and triggering lahars

Kanlaon Volcano erupted on Thursday afternoon, February 6, 2025, with a minor explosion lasting two minutes, generating a 600-meter ash plume that drifted southwest.

Thin ashfall was reported in Sto. Mercedes and San Luis in Barangay Sag-ang, Negros Occidental, and residents in some barangays smelled sulfurous fumes.

A blast wave measuring 70 Pascals was detected five kilometers east of the summit, and residents in certain areas heard a loud booming sound.

Due to heavy rainfall, volcanic debris mobilized into the Buhangin River, triggering syn-eruption lahars in La Castellana and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

The eruption followed a significant drop in sulfur dioxide emissions, averaging 2,249 tonnes per day, a decrease from previous levels.

Volcanic inflation has been observed on the volcano's slopes since January 10, indicating continuous magma accumulation.

Authorities maintain Alert Level 3 due to potential hazards, and residents within a six-kilometer radius are still recommended to evacuate.