BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Authorities have revoked the previously allowed “window hours” for farmers and residents to access the six-kilometer extended danger zone surrounding Kanlaon Volcano due to heightened volcanic activity.
The decision followed a report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) noting increased unrest: 31 volcanic earthquakes, sulfur dioxide emissions reaching 1,020 tons, and a plume that rose 700 meters just after midnight Monday.
“Based on previous records, Phivolcs said these parameters could lead to sudden eruptions,” said Donato Sermeno III, chief of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for the Negros Island Region.
Previously, locals were permitted entry between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. to tend to agricultural work and livestock. However, the suspension of these window hours begins today and will remain in effect indefinitely, Sermeno added.
The OCD has requested heightened enforcement of border controls from local police to ensure safety within the danger zone.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol emphasized that while the final decision on allowing access rests with the OCD and local government units, “as far as Phivolcs is concerned, the extended danger zone must remain unoccupied.”
