Philippine Volcano Eruption Forces Villagers to Flee Homes
An explosive eruption at Mount Kanlaon in the Philippines sent a towering plume of hot ash and gases 1.8 miles into the sky, forcing hundreds of residents to seek shelter.
The eruption, which occurred on Monday afternoon, covered several villages on central Negros Island with ash, disrupting visibility for motorists and raising health concerns. Schools were shut, and a nighttime curfew was imposed as authorities raised the alert level for Kanlaon to the third-highest on a five-tier scale, signaling a heightened risk of hazardous volcanic activity.
“It sounded like a cannon,” said Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas of Canlaon City, located southeast of the volcano. “There have been quiet eruptions before, but this one was very loud.”
By nightfall, about 100 villagers had evacuated to emergency shelters in Canlaon City, with officials warning that the number of displaced people could surpass 2,000 due to the likelihood of further eruptions.
The Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the eruption triggered a pyroclastic density current — a deadly stream of ash, debris, and rocks capable of incinerating everything in its path.
Mount Kanlaon, standing at 2,435 meters (7,988 feet), is among the country’s most active volcanoes. Its last eruption in June displaced hundreds of residents.
Located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the Philippines is highly susceptible to natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and about 20 typhoons annually, making it one of the most disaster-prone nations globally.
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