Boholanos need not fret over being directly affected by the possible eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.
This was the assurance made by Engr. Nolan Evangelista of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) after the volcano’s alert level was raised to Alert Level 2 in mid-November.
According to Evangelista, Bohol and Cebu will not be affected should the volcano erupt, although PHIVOLCS previously announced that activities within Mt. Kanlaon “may or may not lead to a magmatic eruption.”
Mt. Kanlaon, located in Negros Island was placed on Alert Level 2 as the volcano is in a moderate level of unrest.
Last month, PHIVOLCS warned against “sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions” from the volcano which is the highest point in the Visayas at 2,465 meters above sea level.
Strong seismic activity was recorded in the area since August but the number of volcanic earthquakes dropped a few days after the alert level was raised on November 15.
Meanwhile, Evangelista highlighted that there are no volcanoes in Bohol after several erroneous details on the issue were circulated in social media.
As of 2013, PHIVOLCS listed 23 volcanoes in the country as active, and one of the nearest to Bohol is Mt. Hibok-Hibok in Camiguin. (RT)