Philippine volcano briefly erupts, belching ash plume into the sky

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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A restive volcano in central Philippines briefly erupted Tuesday, spewing a 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) ash plume and debris into the sky as its rumblings were heard nearby.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano before dawn, lasting five minutes based on seismic and infrasound data.

“The eruption generated a greyish voluminous plume that rose approximately 4.5 kilometers above the vent before drifting to the southwest,” the institute’s bulletin added.

Ash fell in at least nine villages southwest of the volcano on Negros island, but no injuries or damage was reported.

A level 3 alert -- out of a scale of five -- that was put in place during Kanlaon’s eruption in December remained unchanged, with officials keeping a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) danger zone off limits. The alert means the volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest, with increased chances of short-lived, moderately explosive eruptions that could generate volcanic hazards.

Kanlaon also briefly erupted in April. Its eruption in December prompted the evacuation of thousands of villagers to emergency shelters as the volcano continued showing signs of restiveness.

The 2,435-meter (7,988-foot) volcano is one of the country’s 24 most active volcanoes. In 1996, three hikers were killed near the peak and several others were later rescued when Kanlaon erupted without warning, officials said then.

The Philippines is located in the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The archipelago is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms a year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.