SEVEN local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental reported ashfall and a sulfuric smell following the explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano Thursday afternoon, February19, 2026.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said a moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater at 4:39 p.m. and lasted two minutes.
The eruption generated a dense dark plume that rose 2,000 meters before drifting southwest. Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) descended the upper slopes within one kilometer of the crater, except on the southwest flank where they flowed at least two kilometers downslope, Phivolcs said.
Forty minutes of continuous ash emission followed the event. Regional, provincial, and local authorities reported light to moderate ashfall in at least 41 barangays across seven LGUs.
Negros Occidental records said affected areas include the cities of Bago and La Carlota, and the municipalities of Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, and Valladolid.
Phivolcs said 10 volcanic earthquakes preceded the eruption. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 174 tonnes per day immediately before the activity, significantly lower than the 2,823 tonnes per day average recorded since June 3, 2024.
The volcano edifice has inflated at low rates since 2022 due to magma intrusion. Phivolcs said the blockage of volcanic gas pathways and resulting pressure generated the eruption.
Phivolcs said no pronounced increases in volcanic earthquakes or ground deformation have followed the event.
The agency maintained Alert Level 2 over Kanlaon Volcano. Phivolcs said this means further moderate-intensity activity, such as ash emission or short-lived explosions, may occur.
Such eruptions could produce hazards within the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), disperse ash west of the volcano, and feed lahars in drainage channels, Phivolcs said.
The agency said communities within the PDZ must remain evacuated due to life-threatening hazards, including PDCs, ballistic projectiles, and volcanic gas.
Phivolcs said LGUs must prepare communities within the PDC hazard zone for possible evacuation if unrest escalates.
Communities impacted by recent lahars must remain vigilant during intense rains, as water could erode loose ash to generate hot lahars and sediment-laden streamflow, the agency said.
Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the summit, as ash and ballistic fragments are hazardous to aircraft, Phivolcs said. (MAP)