Cold lava floods Philippines village after volcano erupts miles away

A volcanic eruption on Mount Kanlaon in the Philippines has sent rivers of cold lava, or “lahar”, flowing through a village miles away from the summit on the Negros Island.

Pictures and videos taken by the villagers and shared on social media showed a torrent of grey mud and rocks flowing down a watercourse in Biaknabato village in the Negros Occidental province.

The eruption on Monday sent plumes of ash into the sky, leading to evacuation of Biaknabato and cancellation of dozens of flights.

According to The Guardian, a six-minute earthquake caused by the eruption also led to suspension of work and schools in nearby Canlaon City.

The city’s mayor, Jose Chubasco Cardenas, urged people to move to designated evacuation centres, stay alert and collect essential supplies like water and food.

The state volcanology agency raised the alert level for Mt Kanlaon from one to two, indicating the potential for more explosive eruptions.

Authorities also warned of hazardous ash fall and sulfuric odour and noted that rivers downstream faced risks of flash floods, mudflows and other hazards.

In footage shared by the BBC, people can be seen walking barefoot through thick sludge covering a road in a village several kilometres away from the volcano.

“The lahar on the streets is knee-deep,” Stills Fernandez of the municipal disaster agency was quoted as saying by AFP.

Cold lava is a cooled mixture of volcanic material and pebbles and can have smooth or rough texture. It flows like wet concrete and can travel far from the volcano, gathering debris and expanding in volume, experts said.

“We are still determining the extent and volume of the lahar,” said Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

According to the US Geological Survey, cold lava can crush and bury objects in its path, making it potentially more destructive than conventional lava flows.

The Philippines is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Mt Kanlaon is one of the 24 active volcanoes in the archipelago nation. There are many dormant volcanoes as well.

In 1991, the long-dormant Mount Pinatubo north of Manila witnessed one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people.