Philippines: Mount Kanlaon volcano erupts, sending 3-mile plume of ash into the sky

CNN
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Hundreds of residents living near Mount Kanlaon in the Philippines were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday after the volcano’s eruption sent a five-kilometre-high column of ash into the sky, prompting the cancellation dozens of thefts.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Mount Kanlaon erupted for six minutes Monday evening, causing a “strong earthquake,” as the agency warned that falling ash and sulfuric smell would affect surrounding villages.

Forty-three volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the 24 hours before midnight Monday, according to the agency’s volcano report.

Images on social media showed a cloud of ash shooting into the starry sky. Others showed a thick blanket of ash covering surrounding villages.

More than 60 flights of three domestic airlines were canceled overnight, affecting more than 5,000 passengers, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The Bacolod-Silay Airport resumed operations at 11 a.m. Tuesday, but passengers are expected to face delays.

Since the alert level on the volcano was raised to 2 from a possible 5 early Tuesday, local authorities have ordered the mandatory evacuation of all residents living within a 3-kilometer radius of the volcano.

“Go to your respective evacuation centers, be vigilant and prepare important things like water and food,” said Jose Chubasco Cardenas, mayor of Canlaon town in Negros Oriental province, in a video on Facebook.

Located on Negros, the fourth most populous island in the archipelago, Mount Kanlaon is one of 24 seismically active volcanoes in the country.

It straddles two provinces and is located at the highest point on the island with an elevation of 8,086 feet (2,465 meters) above sea level.

The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire, a 40,000-kilometer arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean that is home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes.