Mount Kanlaon Volcano Eruption Triggers Evacuation and Flight Cancellations
Following the eruption of Mount Kanlaon, residents near the volcano were instructed to evacuate as a towering three-mile ash plume rose into the atmosphere, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights in the Philippines.
Hundreds of residents near Mount Kanlaon in the Philippines were told to leave their homes on Tuesday following a volcanic eruption. The volcano spewed a three-mile tall ash column into the sky, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Mount Kanlaon erupted for six minutes on Monday evening, triggering a powerful earthquake. The agency also cautioned that nearby villages would experience ash fall and a strong smell of sulfur.
In the 24 hours leading up to midnight on Monday, the volcano summary reported a total of 43 volcanic earthquakes.
Social media posts displayed images of an ash cloud rising into the night sky filled with stars. Additionally, some photos revealed a heavy layer of ash that had spread over the nearby villages.
Overnight, more than 60 flights from three domestic airlines were cancelled, affecting over 5,000 passengers, as reported by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
The Bacolod-Silay Airport was able to resume operations by 11 a.m. on Tuesday, but passengers should anticipate delays.
Local government officials have ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents living within a 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) radius of the volcano since the alert level was raised to 2 out of a possible 5 early Tuesday.
In a Facebook video, Jose Chubasco Cardenas, mayor of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental province, advised residents to go down to their respective evacuation centers, be vigilant, and prepare important things such as water and food.
Mount Kanlaon, located on Negros, which is the fourth most populous island in the Philippines, is one of the 24 seismically active volcanoes in the country.
This volcano straddles two provinces and stands as the highest point on the island, reaching an elevation of 8,086 feet (2,465 meters) above sea level.
The Philippines sits along the Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) arc of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean that hosts more than half of the world’s volcanoes.
Editor's P/S:
The volcanic eruption of Mount Kanlaon in the Philippines serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable power of nature. The images of ash clouds billowing into the starlit sky and the heavy layer of debris that blanketed nearby villages convey the magnitude of the event. The evacuation of hundreds of residents underscores the importance of disaster preparedness and the need for swift action in the face of such threats.
This incident also highlights the ongoing volcanic activity in the Philippines, which lies along the Ring of Fire. The country's unique geological location makes it particularly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is crucial for the government and local authorities to maintain a state of readiness and implement effective monitoring and evacuation systems to safeguard the lives and property of citizens in the event of future eruptions.
