THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has lowered the alert status of Mount Kanlaon from Alert Level 1 to 0.
According to Phivolcs, Alert Level 1 means a low level of volcanic unrest. There is a slight increase in volcanic earthquake and steam or gas activity.
An Alert Level 0 means no alert or normal status.
Benjamin Tanatan, science research analyst of Phivolcs in Canlaon City, said the lowering of alert level was done last May 5.
Tanatan said that with the alert level back to normal, no magmatic eruption is foreseen in the immediate future.
However, in the event of a renewed increase in any one or combination of the above monitoring parameters, the alert status may step up once again to Alert Level 1.
The public is still reminded to avoid entry into the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone due to perennial hazards of rockfalls, avalanches, sudden outgassing and steam-driven or phreatic eruption at the summit area.
Phivolcs said it is closely monitoring Kanlaon’s condition and any new development will be immediately communicated to all concerned.
Since its last phreatic eruption on June 15, 2016, Kanlaon exhibited a general decline of monitoring parameters to normal or baseline values, indicating a return to normalcy.