This photo taken on June 24, 2020 shows the crater of Kanlaon volcano as seen from the town of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, central Philippines. Francis Fabiania, AFP/File

MANILA — A stronger eruption at the Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island is still possible, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Teresito Bacolcol.

Kanlaon erupted early Tuesday morning, sending a massive grey plume of ash up, about 4.5 kilometers into the sky, blanketing nearby towns with ashfall.

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“Base sa current parameters that we are monitoring, that we have recorded, may posibilidad na pwedeng magbago o may mas malakas pang pagsabog sa mga susunod na araw," Bacolcol said on the program Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on PTV. 

"That’s the reason why ‘yung alert level 3, when you say alert level 3, it means that hazardous eruption is possible in the next few days or in the next few weeks. But right now… we still maintain the alert level 3,” he added. 

If volcanic activities ramp up at Kanlaon and trigger the declaration of Alert Level 4, Bacolcol said the danger zone will have to be expanded to a 10-kilometer radius from the current 6-kilometer radius.

A level 3 alert—out of a scale of five—put in place during an eruption in December remained unchanged Tuesday.

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