Evacuations underway as Philippine volcano erupts

MANILA

A volcano erupted in the central Philippines on Monday, sending a huge ash column high into the sky as the government ordered the evacuation of surrounding villages.

Rising more than 2,400 meters above sea level on the central island of Negros, Kanlaon is one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines.

"An explosive eruption occurred at the summit vent of Kanlaon Volcano at 3:03 p.m. today," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement.

"All local government units are advised to evacuate the six-kilometer radius from the summit of the volcano and must be prepared for additional evacuation if activity warrants," it added.

"Evacuations are ongoing" in four upland villages of La Castellana town, on the volcano's southwest slope, municipal police officer Staff Sergeant Ronel Arevalo told AFP, adding he did not have the total number of residents to be evacuated.

The seismology office said the plume rose to 3,000 meters above the vent, with red-hot ashes and other materials also falling on its southeastern slope.

The activity means "magmatic eruption has begun that may progress to further explosive eruptions," it added.

In September hundreds of nearby residents had been evacuated after the volcano spurted thousands of tons of harmful gases in a single day.

The seismology office said Kanlaon has erupted more than 40 times since 1866.

In 1996 three hikers were killed due to ash ejection from the volcano.