Kanlaon Volcano's quakes show no sign yet of magma rising —Solidum

Recent earthquakes in Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island do not indicate that magma is rising from beneath its edifice to the main crater, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday, PHIVOLCS Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the  recent earthquakes were recorded only at the base of the volcano.

“Hindi pa ito 'yung mga lindol na nagpapahiwatig sa atin na umaakyat na magma,” Solidum said.

According to him, the earthquakes should be recorded under the edifice to the crater of the volcano to say that magma is already rising.

"Yung pagsabog na may magmang lalabas, wala pa tayong senyales,” he added.

Solidum noted that the recent earthquakes in Kanlaon were due to the movement of faults at the base of the volcano.

“Ang paglindol o pagkilos ng fault sa paanan ay posibleng dulot ng pressurization dahil may pagpapakulo ng tubig, manifested nga ng moderate steaming o 'di kaya magma activity na napakalalim pa,” he said.

Due to the pressure of the steaming, Solidum said it could trigger steam-driven explosions or phreatic eruptions. “Pero hindi ito kasing lakas ng pagsabog na may umaakyat na magma.”

According to PHIVOLCS, Kanlaon Volcano emitted white steam-laden plumes again for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.

In an 8 a.m. bulletin, PHIVOLCS said the emission was moderate and rose 300 meters before drifting southwest.

“One earthquake at 7 p.m. yesterday was recorded at M3.6 by the Philippine Seismic Network and was felt at Intensity III in La Carlota City and at Intensity II in Bago City, Negros Occidental,” it said.

Unlike in the past days with over a hundred volcano-tectonic earthquakes, only 38 were recorded on the western flanks of Kanlaon in the past 24 hours. —LBG, GMA News