The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has monitored an increase in volcanic activity at Mount Kanlaon in the past few days.

“A total of 41 volcanic earthquakes around the summit area were recorded since 5 a.m. of June 30, 2022, by the Kanlaon Volcano Network or KVN. These included seven (7) very shallow tornillo signals that could be associated with volcanic gas movement along with the fractures within the upper volcanic slopes,” Phivolcs said in an advisory on Sunday afternoon, July 3.

Based on the ground deformation data from continuous GPS measurements, Phivolcs also recorded “short-term slight inflation of the lower and mid slopes since January 2022, consistent with continuous electronic tilt recording of inflation of southeastern flanks since mid of March 2022.”

“The increased seismic activity and short-term ground deformation are likely caused by shallow hydrothermal processes beneath the edifice that could generate phreatic or steam-driven eruptions from the summit crater,” it explained.

Phivolcs reminded that public that Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, which means that it is at “low-level unrest.”

It advised the local government units concerned and the public not to enter the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) due to further possibilities of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

Civil aviation authorities were also directed to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ejecta from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.