Authorities in the Philippines have issued an urgent evacuation order following an explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island, Bloomberg reports.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported a significant eruption at 3:03 PM local time on December 9, 2024.
The eruption produced a massive plume of ash that rapidly ascended to a height of 3,000 meters above the volcano’s vent before drifting west-southwest. PHIVOLCS described the event as an “explosive eruption,” indicating the beginning of magmatic activity. The bulletin warns that this eruption may be a precursor to further, potentially more powerful, explosive events.
As a result, a six-kilometer radius around Kanlaon volcano has been declared a danger zone, and residents within this area are advised to evacuate immediately.