Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on April 10, 2025
Viral Video: Mount Kanlaon erupts in Philippines, sends ash plume 4 km into sky
The ashfall impacted at least four farming communities southwest of the volcano, leading local officials to cancel school in affected areas as a safety measure.
The Volcano erupted early Tuesday on Negros Island in the central Philippines
Mount Kanlaon, an active volcano located on Negros Island in the central Philippines, erupted early Tuesday morning, sending a massive ash plume high into the sky and prompting immediate safety precautions.
According to CNBC, the eruption began just before 6 AM, and lasted for nearly an hour. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) confirmed in a statement that “an explosive eruption is currently occurring at the summit vent of Kanlaon Volcano that began at 5:51 AM today.” The ash column reached a height of approximately 4 kilometres (2.4 miles).
The ashfall impacted at least four farming communities southwest of the volcano, leading local officials to cancel school in affected areas as a safety measure. Authorities were already on alert following a previous eruption in December, and evacuations had been carried out in high-risk zones between four to six kilometers from the crater.
John De Asis, a local rescue official in La Castellana, a municipality in Negros Occidental province, told reporters, “We were prepared for the eruption… Right now we are just monitoring which villages will be affected by the ashfall.” He also mentioned that they were advising suspension of both school and work in the area for safety.
PHIVOLCS reported that the eruption ended at 6:47 AM local time (2247 GMT Monday), and fortunately, no injuries or property damage were reported.
Watch the video:
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Social media was quickly flooded with dramatic footage of the ash plume unfurling across the sky. One user captured the mood perfectly, calling it “Scary yet beautiful.” Another said, “Dear ozone layer, we don’t deserve you, so much burden on you.” Others shared their reactions with a mix of humour and concern—“Damn! My dust allergies flared just watching this video,” wrote one viewer, while another user commented, “Doomsday is closer.”
Teresito Bacolcol, the head of PHIVOLCS, told the Associated Press that the alert level remains at three out of five, reflecting a “high level of volcanic unrest.”
Standing at 2,435 meters (7,988 feet), Mount Kanlaon is among the Philippines’ 24 most active volcanoes. Its history includes a deadly eruption in 1996 that struck without warning, claiming the lives of three hikers and triggering a major rescue operation for others caught near the summit.
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