MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Mount Kanlaon erupted anew on Saturday morning, June 18, and is currently in a state of unrest, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs reported Mount Kanlaon’s phreatic explosion at 9:19 am Saturday.

Eruption Notification
Kanlaon Volcano
Phreatic Explosion
June 18, 2016
9:19 AM-9:46 AM 400m-1500m WNW grayish-white pic.twitter.com/2RCYN8XCjk

— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) June 18, 2016

“Alert Level 1 status remains in effect over Kanlaon Volcano, which means that it is currently in a state of unrest probably driven by hydrothermal processes that could generate more minor eruptions,” Phivolcs’ 8 am bulletin read. 

In the last 24 hours, the volcano’s seismic monitoring network recorded 3 volcanic earthquakes. Phivolcs also observed a weak emission of white steam plumes that rose up to 100 meters that drifted southwest and nortwest. 

“Ground deformation measurements from continuous GPS data as ofJune 2, 2016 indicated slight inflation of the Kanlaon edifice since December 2015,” the bulletin read. 

Sulfur ash from Mt. Canlaon!! Active Volcano. View from Bago City. pic.twitter.com/HNIoRiU953

— Jemimah Anna (@JemsKitchen7) June 18, 2016

Mt. Kanlaon rn pic.twitter.com/73QADgyfwh

— Janrey Artus (@ATOYletPaper) June 18, 2016

Alert Level 1 for Mount Kanlaon means slightly elevated levels of seismic, fumarolic and/or other volcanic activity, and isolated steam bursts or ash ejections.

Kenn John Veracruz of Phivolcs said the volcano, which has been more active than usual since November, launched on Saturday a plume of whitish-grey ash about 1.5 kilometers into the air.

Veracruz said that so far the authorities had not detected any lava rising inside the 2.47-kilometer high volcano, but they were checking how far the ash was being scattered by the wind and whether it could affect nearby communities.

“It has been raining in recent days so there was likely water that built up inside the volcano and since the crater is hot, it built up the steam pressure,” causing the eruption of ash, Veracruz, a member of the institute’s volcano monitoring division, told Agence France-Presse.

He added that it was possible the volcano could experience another ash eruption.

The civil defense office said they had not received any reports of damage or people affected from the ashfall but that authorities remain on alert.

Phivolcs warned local government units and the public that entry into the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone is strictly prohibited “due to the further possibilities of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or minor ash eruptions.”

Pilots are also advised not to fly close to the volcano’s summit “as airborne ash from a sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.”

“[Phivolcs] is closely monitoring Kanlaon Volcano’s activity and any new development will be relayed to all concerned,” the bulletin read.

Kanlaon has had several eruptions, usually of ash, in the past century. In August, 1996, the volcano abruptly erupted, sending a spray of heated rocks that killed three hikers who were near the summit at the time.

The Philippines is located in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” and has over 20 active volcanoes. Earlier this month, Mount Bulusan in the rural eastern province of Sorsogon fired a spectacular column of ash and steam into the air. – with a report from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com