A 5,000-meter plume lights up the night sky as Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island erupted after sundown on Monday (June 3), causing numerous flights to cancel, while hundreds of people living close to the volcano were told to evacuate.

The neighboring towns near the volcano would be affected by ash fall and sulfurous fumes, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), which reported that Mount Kanlaon erupted for six minutes on Monday evening and caused a “strong earthquake.”

As per the agency’s volcano summary, forty-three volcanic earthquakes were registered throughout the 24 hours leading up to Monday midnight.

Social media posts featured pictures of an ash cloud extending into the starry night sky. Others showed the nearby communities covered in a thick layer of ash.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines reports that over 5,000 passengers were affected by the cancellation of over 60 flights from three domestic carriers over night.

By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the Bacolod-Silay Airport was back in service, but delays are anticipated for travelers.

Local government representatives mandated that all inhabitants within a 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) radius of the volcano evacuate, after the volcano’s alert level was upgraded to 2 out of a potential 5 early on Tuesday.

Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas has already ordered the mandatory evacuation of residents who live within three meters of the river downstream from the volcano.

“Go down to your respective evacuation centers, be vigilant, and prepare important things such as water and food,” said Mayor Cardenas via Facebook video.

Mount Kanlaon, located on Negros, the archipelago’s fourth most populous island, is one of 24 seismically active volcanoes in the country.

Coast Guard heightens alert

Following Mount Kanlaon’s eruption, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Negros Island is on standby to support local government units (LGU) and other concerned authorities in guaranteeing the public’s safety.

The Western Visayas District was assigned by its Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, to ready its deployable reaction groups (DRG) and rescue assets for prompt dispatch, according to a statement released on Tuesday by PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo.

“Our vessels and aerial assets at the national headquarters here in Manila are now on standby for possible augmentation,” Balilo said.

“We are in constant communication with our regional counterpart in Negros Island to make sure that the PCG can provide immediate assistance to the affected residential communities,” Balilo said, adding that quick response teams from other PCG districts in Visayas and Mindanao have also been mobilized to assist with ongoing operations.

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