Mount Kanlaon is about 75 miles from Bohol Island where @Mr.Duality lives. Dude, you okay? I was just in Cebu about 6 weeks ago, 50 miles from Mount Kanlaon, before visiting @Mr.Duality on Bohol.
Be safe. When I was there in late December there was some minor talk about its volcanic activity.
For those not very familiar with Philippines geography (like me), Mactan Island, adjacent to Cebu Island (literally about ¼ mile away) is where the Cebu airport is. It’s also where the explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by Lapu Lapu, the Mactan Chief, in 1521. Per wiki Magellan’s expedition (departing Spain in 1519) was one “of the most significant voyages in the Age of Discovery, the nearly three-year expedition totaled 37,560 miles and achieved the first circumnavigation of Earth in history. The expedition was completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.
Here is a recent photo from a Vietnam news agency; ash was thrown about 8,000 feet into the air —
Negros is West of here. Wind (just a breeze, really) is from the NE. I wouldn’t have known about this eruption if not for this thread.
Magellan was an incredible asshole, much hated by his subordinates. There were no fewer than 3 mutinies before he was killed. There is some controversy about who actually killed him. It may have been a particularly strong warrior named “breaks the pestle”, who had been brought from Bohol to train the Mactan men. He allegedly struck Magellan with a blow so strong that his armor caved in.
Better than the politics, crime and division we have here IMHO.