This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
The Office of Civil Defense in the Philippines has ordered the mass evacuation of nearly 100,000 villagers in the area surrounding Mount Kanlaon volcano on the island of Negros after a major eruption occurred Monday afternoon, sending a massive plume cloud of ash and debris nearly 2 miles into the sky.
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As of this publication, approximately 87,000 villagers have been evacuated from the area and up to 6,000 residents have been placed in emergency shelters for safety and health reasons.
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On Monday, at 3:03 p.m. under a blaze of sunshine and blue sky, what residents deemed as the 'sounds of an explosion or cannon going off,' turned out to be a violent eruption from Mount Kanlaon.
As a wide cloud of ash, rocks, and debris shot into the air, residents fled from their village homes; the majority of properties on the western and southern slopes of Kanlaon, which was immediately blanketed in thick ash.
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Following the major eruption, approximately 100 people made their way to emergency shelters on Monday. As of this morning, that number has increased significantly: 6,000 villagers are now under shelter awaiting word from officials.
Several flights were also canceled in lieu of the nearly 4-minute volcanic eruption, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the unknown volatility of Mount Kanlaon after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the danger alert from level 2 to level 3 on Monday.
Now, disaster response teams in the area are urging residents to leave, and do so quickly.
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Mount Kanlaon's eruption was so major yesterday, that its ash plume could be seen as far away as Iloilo City, which is approximately 166 miles away from Negros Island.
Medical supplies, face masks, hygiene packs, food, and water are being sought by disaster response teams, all ahead of the island's peak time for holiday travel, and the upcoming Christmas holiday.
"It's a one-time but major eruption," Bacolcol told the AP, adding that volcanologists were assessing if Monday's eruption spewed old volcanic debris and rocks clogged in and near the summit crater or was caused by rising magma from underneath.
While no casualties have been reported as a result of Monday's eruption, authorities are on red alert, and concerned about the lack of warning and tell-tale signs normally recorded prior to a volcano erupting.
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Records show that Mount Kanlaon has a history of unexpected eruptions. In 1996, three hikers were killed due to the volcano suddenly erupting without warning, per officials.
While the mostly Roman-Catholic island celebrates Christmas with families and friends this time of year, residents are now worried about what the volcano may bring next.
Per officials, school cancelations, travel and health warnings, and the nighttime curfew remain in effect until further notice.