Viral Videos Show Famous Mount Kanlaon Unleashing Rivers Of Cold Lava In Philippines

The famous Mount Kanlaon Natural Park in the Philippines saw cold lava streams down its slopes after an explosive eruption on Monday.

Viral videos circulating online show torrents of grey mud and rocks, known as cold lava flow or lahar, rushing through Biaknabato village in Negros Occidental province. The eruption, which ejected a plume of ash kilometers into the sky, prompted the cancellation of numerous flights and the evacuation of hundreds of people, local media reported.

Authorities cautioned that further eruptions could occur. Cold lava, a term translating to “lahar” in Indonesian and Tagalog, refers to the mixture of volcanic material and pebbles flowing down a volcano’s slope during rainfall.

Lahars, massive flows of volcanic debris triggered by heavy rain or snowmelt, pose significant dangers, including the potential burial of villages. Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, stated that the extent and volume of the lahar were still being determined, emphasizing its hazardous nature due to the presence of volcanic ash.

In response to the eruption, hundreds of individuals were evacuated from their homes near Mount Kanlaon due to falling ash, gases, and the looming threat of lahars. The state volcanology agency elevated the volcano’s alert level from one to two on a scale of zero to five, signaling the potential for more explosive eruptions.

The Philippines, situated in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes. The recent eruption of Mount Kanlaon has prompted evacuations and flight cancellations, underlining the risks posed by volcanic activity in the region.