Philippines : Residents Evacuate as Kanlaon Volcano Emits Harmful Gases and Eruption Warning Issued

Hundreds of people fled their homes in the Philippines on Wednesday after the Kanlaon volcano emitted harmful gases, prompting experts to warn of a potential eruption. Approximately 300 residents from villages within four kilometers (2.5 miles) of the volcano’s crater were evacuated on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. The evacuees have sought temporary shelter at schools and community centers away from the volcano, according to Canlaon City information officer Edna Lhou Masicampo.

Residents near the volcano have reported a strong sulfur smell, with many being farmers. In response to the increased volcanic activity, classes were suspended, and some tourist attractions in the city of around 60,000 people were closed. On Tuesday, Kanlaon’s sulfur dioxide emissions nearly tripled to 9,985 tons, marking the highest level recorded since monitoring began, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Kanlaon, which rises more than 2,400 meters (nearly 8,000 feet) above sea level on the central island of Negros, is one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines and has erupted 15 times in the past nine years. The state volcanology agency raised the alert level for Kanlaon in June, indicating that more explosive eruptions could be imminent. The Philippines, located in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes.