Mount Kanlaon, located in the central Philippines, briefly erupted on Monday, leading to the evacuation of people from surrounding villages.
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A four-minute eruption occurred at 3:03 p.m. (0703 GMT), launching a four-kilometre-high column of ash above the crater as a mixture of hot ash, gas and volcanic rock descended the southeastern flank of the volcano for more than three kilometers, authorities said at a press conference.
They warned of the risk of new explosive eruptions from the volcano.
Kanlaon, located on the island of Negros and with an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level, is one of 24 active volcanoes in the archipelago.
Videos posted on social media by residents show a cauliflower-shaped mass of smoke rising from the crater.
Maria Antonia Bornas, head of the monitoring department of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said ash fallout from the volcano had affected several nearby towns and villages, with no casualties or damage reported in the area. this stage.
-However, she warned of the risk that heavy rains could lead to flows of volcanic material on inhabited areas.
“Evacuations are underway” in four villages overlooking the town of La Castellana, on the southwest flank of the volcano, said Ronel Arevalo, a municipal police officer, adding that he did not know the number of residents affected. .
“In the last few days we have seen black smoke coming out of the volcano, we were expecting it to erupt any time this week,” Dianne Paula Abendan, 24, a resident of La Castellana, said by phone. to the AFP.
She said residents rushed to their homes to protect themselves and wait for the evacuation, but the volcano’s activity seemed to be easing.
Authorities said activity at Bacolod-Silay International Airport remained normal, but warned airlines that their aircraft should avoid flying below 3,000 meters above sea level in the volcano area.
In September, hundreds of residents in the area had to evacuate after Kanlaon spewed thousands of tons of dangerous gas in one day.
Kanlaon has erupted more than 40 times since 1866, according to records from the Institute of Volcanology.
In 1996, three hikers were killed by flying ash.
