Oct 10 eruption was its 5th explosive volcanic activity in 2026
By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Published Oct 11, 2026 11:09 am
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2, which means "increased unrest."
Phivolcs is still assessing the volcano's overall condition and the extent of the hazards before deciding whether to raise its alert level.
Director Teresito Bacolcol also said the recent volcanic activities at Kanlaon, Mayon, and Taal volcanoes were not connected, despite occurring within days of one another.
Screenshot of sped-up IP camera footage showing ash emissions from Kanlaon Volcano at 5:15 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2026, as a grayish plume rose 600 meters above the summit crater and drifted generally westward. Alert Level 2 remains in effect. (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)
Screenshot of sped-up IP camera footage showing ash emissions from Kanlaon Volcano at 5:15 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2026, as a grayish plume rose 600 meters above the summit crater and drifted generally westward. Alert Level 2 remains in effect. (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)
Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption on Oct. 10 was its fifth explosive event this year, and another eruption remains possible, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said the volcano remains under Alert Level 2, which means “increased unrest.”
“The possibility [of another eruption] is always there kasi nasa Alert Level 2 pa rin ang Kanlaon volcano. So it can go both ways. Pwede mag-lower yung parameters na mino-monitor natin or pwede rin mag-escalate (The possibility of another eruption is always there because Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. So it can go both ways. The parameters being monitored could decrease, or activity could escalate),” Bacolcol said in a DZBB interview.
The moderately explosive eruption on Saturday noon was followed by ash emissions from 12:49 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., lasting two hours and 41 minutes, while at least two shorter ash emissions were recorded early Sunday morning.
“Nangyari ito dahil after the eruption, patuloy pa rin, kahit tapos na ang initial explosion natin, may gas pa rin at volcanic materials na lumalabas through the vent (This happened because even after the initial explosion ended, gases and volcanic materials continued to escape through the vent),” Bacolcol said.
He said ashfall and a pungent, sulfurous smell were reported in parts of Don Salvador Benedicto, La Carlota City, and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.
Bacolcol said Phivolcs continues to monitor the direction of the ash emissions to determine which areas could be affected.
Meanwhile, he said the latest eruption would not automatically prompt an increase in the alert level, as authorities are assessing the volcano’s overall condition and the extent of the hazards.
“For now, hindi naman natin itataas ang alert level. Tinitingnan natin yung kabuuan. We're still assessing kung kailangan ba ito. Again, hindi naman automatic na itataas dahil nagkaroon tayo ng explosive eruption yesterday. Ang basis natin ay kung may escalation sa volcanic activity at kung gaano kalawak ang hazards (For now, we will not raise the alert level. We are looking at the overall situation and still assessing whether this is necessary. The alert level will not automatically be raised because an explosive eruption occurred yesterday. The basis is whether volcanic activity is escalating and how extensive the hazards are),” Bacolcol explained.
However, he reiterated that people must stay out of Kanlaon’s four-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ), where an eruption could occur at any time, even at Alert Level 0, which indicates a normal state.
“Dapat talaga natin i-emphasize na dapat walang tao inside the four-kilometer permanent danger zone kasi it [an eruption] can happen anytime (We must emphasize that no one should be inside the four-kilometer permanent danger zone because an eruption can happen at any time),” he said.
Meanwhile, Bacolcol said the recent volcanic activities at Kanlaon, Mayon, and Taal volcanoes were not connected, despite occurring within days of one another.
Taal Volcano recorded a minor phreatomagmatic eruption on Oct. 8, while Mayon Volcano had another episode of strombolian activity early Sunday.
Bacolcol said Mayon’s strombolian activity, which involves short bursts of lava that typically last less than two minutes, has occurred intermittently since Jan. 6, when its effusive eruption began.
The latest episode followed the volcano’s previous recorded activity on Oct. 7.
“Each volcano has its own magma system at may sarili silang processes sa ilalim. So yung tatlong bulkan natin na nabanggit pare-pareho silang may volcanic unrest kaya pwede silang magkaroon ng eruption na magkalapit yung timing. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na yung activity ng isa nagti-trigger ng activity pa sa isang bulkan (Each volcano has its own magma system and processes underground. All three volcanoes are experiencing volcanic unrest, so their eruptions may occur close together in time. But this does not mean that activity in one volcano triggers activity in another),” Bacolcol said.
Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 2, while Taal Volcano is under Alert Level 1.
