Photo courtesy of Phivolcs.
Kanlaon shows signs of unrest as hot gas vents detected
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Friday that instruments monitoring Kanlaon Volcano detected the release of superheated gas from the crater, a development that scientists said could signal rising volcanic unrest.
Thermal cameras operated by the Kanlaon Observatory in La Carlota City captured the emissions on Wednesday evening, recording heat signatures not visible to the naked eye.
According to Phivolcs, such gas releases may also occur during the daytime but often go unnoticed without specialized monitoring equipment.
Volcanologists said the presence of superheated gas can indicate increasing pressure within the volcano, which may precede explosive activity.
Comparable emissions were observed ahead of Kanlaon’s eruptions in December 2024 and again during separate eruptive events in 2025.
Monitoring data also showed clusters of volcanic earthquakes recorded earlier this month, suggesting magma movement beneath the edifice.
Phivolcs reminded the public that the four-kilometer permanent danger zone around Kanlaon remains in effect and must be strictly observed to reduce risk to nearby communities.