50 barangays in Negros Occidental reel from ashfall

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

February 21, 2026 | 12:00am

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — From 26 the other day, the number of barangays in Negros Occidental that were hit by ashfall following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano increased to 50 yesterday, according to the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office.

The two-minute moderately explosive eruption on Thursday afternoon produced sulfur stench that was detected in barangays in Bago, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, La Carlota, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, San Enrique and Valladolid.

The eruption placed at least 85 schools at risk including 54 in Negros Occidental and 31 in Negros Oriental, education officials said.

Classes were suspended in La Carlota City and La Castellana in Negros Occidental as well as in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

Sixty families composed of 195 people from the cities of La Carlota and Bago sought shelter in evacuation centers due to severe ashfall, Irene Bel Plotena of the provincial disaster and management office said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the eruption generated a dense dark plume that rose 2,000 meters above the crater and drifted southwest.

Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said the eruption was followed by a 40-minute continuous ash emission and generated a shock wave, which was heard as a booming sound and felt beyond 30 kilometers from the crater.

State volcanologists said up to 11 volcanic earthquakes ranging from magnitudes 0.8 to 1.4 were detected in Kanlaon.

Entry into the six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited.