(CNN Philippines) — Local government units surrounding the Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island have been alerted following the ash eruption on Tuesday evening (March 29).
According to Isagani Republica of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division, ash fall were reported in La Carlota City and Pontevedra town, Negros Occidental.
In Negros Oriental, a monitoring team has also been established to assist those in need of help in the area near the Kanlaon Volcano.
The Kanlaon Volcano spewed ash and incandescent fiery rocks at around 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday. The ash eruption lasted for around 12 minutes and its plume reached 1,500 meters above the crater.
According to Police Supt. Frankie Lugo, chief of the Canlaon City Police in Negros Oriental, several fire balls shot out from the volcano’s crater, following a booming sound.
Lugo says it was a one-time eruption and there was no lava flowing from the crater of the volcano.
Lugo also says that a thick cloud formed after the minor explosion, but it faded minutes later.
According to Jay Jamelo, science research specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the gas pressure in the volcano ejected the rocks. The friction caused by the exiting rocks turned them into fiery balls.
Jamelo says the occurrence resulted to seven bush fires near the summit.
As of the recent Phivolcs advisory, the Kanlaon Volcano is still on Alert Level 1.
