Volcano in Philippines Spews Ash Over a Mile into the Sky
Kanlaon Volcano, one of 24 active volcanoes in the Southeast Asian nation, has had several eruptions in the past century -- the most recent of which happened last month.
A level three alert -- out of a scale of five -- put in place during an eruption in December remained unchanged Tuesday, as officials highlighted an existing six-kilometer (four-mile) evacuation radius.
"A moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano at 2:55 am today (1855 GMT Monday)," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement, adding that it lasted five minutes.
"The eruption generated a greyish voluminous plume that rose approximately 3 kilometers above the vent before drifting to the general west," it said.
"Large ballistic fragments were also observed to have been thrown around the crater within a few hundred meters and caused burning of vegetation near the volcano summit."
Stating the continued level three alert, the agency warned there were "increased chances of short-lived moderately explosive eruptions that could generate life-threatening volcanic hazards."
In August 1996, Kanlaon Volcano erupted, sending a spray of heated rocks that killed three hikers who were near the summit at the time.
The Philippines is on the seismically active region of the Pacific known as the "Ring of Fire," where more than half the world's volcanoes are located.
The most powerful volcanic explosion in the Philippines in recent years was the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Manila, which killed more than 800 people.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Philippines shuts schools, scraps flights as typhoon nears
The Philippines shut down schools and cancelled flights Thursday as typhoon-driven rains pounded the northern island of Luzon, a situation President Ferdinand Marcos called 'the new normal'. Typhoon Co-May, upgraded from a tropical storm overnight, follows days of monsoon rains that have killed at least 19 people and left another 11 missing across the archipelago since July 18, according to the national disaster agency. With maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour, the typhoon was expected to make landfall on the west coast in either La Union or Ilocos Sur province by Friday morning, the country's weather service said. Marcos said on Thursday that climate change meant Filipinos needed to be thinking about how to adapt to a 'new normal.' 'This is not an extraordinary situation anymore... This will be our lives no matter what we do,' he told a televised cabinet briefing, adding the country should plan for the long-term in addressing natural disasters. 'This is the way it's going to be as far as we know for... many decades to come, so let's just prepare,' he said. 'We have to understand that the climate has changed, the rain patterns have changed,' he added, pointing to recent devastating flooding in the US state of Texas. Around 70 domestic and international flights in the Philippines were cancelled Thursday due to the storms, the civil aviation authority said. The government later announced that classes across Luzon would remain suspended through Friday. Tens of thousands were evacuated across Manila earlier this week by floodwaters that swamped some neighborhoods in waist-deep water and left residents of nearby provinces stranded and in need of rescue by boat. As of Thursday, at least several thousand people in Manila remained unable to return to their homes. 'We cannot send them home yet because it is still raining and some typhoons are still expected to affect the country,' Ria Mei Pangilinan, a rescue coordinator in the capital, told AFP. 'There might be more (evacuees) if the rain does not stop.' Typhoon Co-May was about 105 kilometers off the country's west coast as of 8 pm (1200 GMT).
Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
Photos show a Filipino couple walking down a flooded aisle on their wedding day
MALOLOS, Philippines: Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day. Even if it meant walking down a flooded one. On Tuesday, the Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines flooded due to heavy rain. Typhoon Whipa had intensified seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, bringing widespread flooding. The couple anticipated the risk of flooding, but instead of letting the weather dampen the mood, they decided to push through, as all marriages have their challenges. 'We just mustered enough courage,' said Verdillo. 'We decided today because it is a sacrifice in itself. But there will more sacrifices if we don't push through today.' Aguilar waded down the aisle with her white dress and wedding train floating behind her through waters almost up to her knees. At the altar, Verdillo was waiting to receive her while wearing an embroidered shirt called a Barong Tagalog, worn during special occasions. The newlyweds have been together for 10 years. The groom said, 'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome.' Despite the turbulent weather, some family and friends made it to the wedding. 'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' said Jiggo Santos, a wedding guest. 'It's an extraordinary wedding.'
Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
Tens of thousands displaced in Philippines as heavy rains set off severe flooding
MANILA: Torrential rains brought the Philippine capital Manila to a standstill on Tuesday, as heavy flooding displaced tens of thousands of people across the country. Monsoon downpours that began last week and intensified due to Typhoon Wipha have killed at least six people, displaced over 82,000, and affected more than 1.2 million others. Government offices and schools are suspended until at least Wednesday, as the heavy rain submerged around 500 areas in the Philippine capital region alone. 'The flooding varies in depth — from gutter-level to much deeper waters,' Don Artes, chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority, said at a briefing on Tuesday. The severe floods in Manila were partly triggered by the city's old drainage system. 'Our drainage system is also outdated — more than 50 years old — and too small for today's rainfall volume,' Artes said. Around 17,000 people remain in evacuation centers, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered state agencies to focus on disaster relief operations. 'The OCD (Office of Civil Defense) is now on red alert … The most heavily affected areas are Metro Manila, as well as the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal,' OCD Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro IV said. Philippine authorities are bracing for more heavy rain, with the southwest monsoon expected to 'bring moderate to intense rains of up to 200mm within the next few days,' the Interior Ministry said in a statement, adding that preemptive evacuation has started in some areas. The national weather bureau, PAGASA, said it expects 'widespread incidents of severe flooding' with landslides until at least Wednesday in the Manila capital region, as well as the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite and Batangas. The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather events, with an average of 20 tropical storms passing through the country every year. 'Flooding, especially during the southwest monsoon season, is getting frustrating and tiring,' Ryan Reyes Soriano, a 47-year-old resident of Malabon city, told Arab News. 'Formerly floods during the 80s up to the 90s were a cause for concern if they go up waist level. Now floods often go as high as a story if storms are bad, and that is a difference of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters).' Malabon, a coastal city located north of Manila, was one of the most severely affected areas in the capital region. Almost all of its 21 districts were submerged in floods, with some regions still inundated as of Tuesday afternoon. 'In some cases it's deep enough for a person to drown. Lucky if it's only knee-deep,' Soriano said. 'I went outside earlier, the water is still above my waist.'
