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VOLCANIC HAZARDS VOLCANIC HAZARDS
VOLCANO
- The location of the Philippines to the Pacific
Ring of Fire made our country exposed to
volcanic eruptions. A volcano is an opening in
the crust that ejects magma and forms a fissure
or located in a mountain or oceanic ridge (series
of underwater mountains).
CLASSIFICATION OF VOLCANOES (based on
frequency of eruption)
Active Volcanoes
Regularly erupt within the last 600 years; include those
volcanoes identified farther back in time to have erupted
in the last 10, 000 years.
Examples:
1. Mt. Mayon (Albay. Bicol)– most active; 51
eruptions from 1616 until 2014; most destructive
occurred in 1814 with an estimate of at least
1200 fatalities.
2. Mt. Pinatubo (Botolan, Zambales) – one of
the biggest; 1991 eruption has led to more than
700 fatalities; considered as the second largest
eruption of the 21st century.
3. Taal Volcano (Talisay, Batangas) – one of the
most active; 33 eruptions since 1572; its crater is
filled with water creating a lake.
Dormant Volcanoes
Volcanoes that erupted in the last 10, 000 years but may
still erupt in the future.
Example:
1. Mt. Makiling (Laguna)
Extinct Volcanoes
Volcanoes with no record of eruptions. However, they
may not be completely extinct due to their emission of
sulfur.
Example:
1. Mt. Arayat (Arayat, Pampanga)
LAVA FLOW
Cascading lava (surface magma) in the form of streams
from the erupting vent down the slope.
DOME GROWTH
Formation of lava dome from viscous magma that
solidified along the vent.
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
Composed of an extremely hot mixture of rock
fragments, expanding gases, and ashes with a
temperature greater than 800 degrees Celsius. It moves
at a rapid speed of 10 m/s to 200 m/s.
PYROCLASTIC SURGE
Same as pyroclastic flow except that it has less rock but
more gases, making it less dense. It has an average
temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. Cold surges can take
place in volcanoes underneath the ocean or lake.
BALLISTIC PROJECTILES
This happens due to the built- up gas pressure that
quickly launches the volcanic materials, particularly
volcanic bombs and blocks bigger than 64 mm, high up
in the air.
TEPHRA FALL
Any rock fragment or pyroclastic material ejected during
a volcanic eruption. Tephra fall contains various volcanic
materials that include the following:
➔ ash (less than 2 mm)
➔ lapilli (2 to 64 mm)
➔ blocks
➔ bombs
VOLCANIC GASES
Mixture of gases that include water vapor, hydrogen
sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen
chloride, and hydrogen fluoride. Volcanic gases may
affect temperature.
LAHAR
Also known as mudflow or volcanic debris flow which is
composed of a mixture of volcanic debris and water that
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has the consistency of a wet concrete. It moves down the units due to gravity, the added force exerted by
slope of a volcano and usually finds its way into rivers. neighboring units, and water in the fissures.

VOLCANIC HAZARD MAPS Slump

A volcanic hazard map is utilized to provide information
on the potential damaging effects of a volcanic eruption
that can be used as a basis for disaster mitigation plans
of a locality.
Landslides
Rainfall-induced landslides
● Prolonged intense rainfall can often cause
rainfall-induced landslides. The geological
hazard occurs when water from rainfall seeps
into the ground at a rate faster than the soil can
drain it. As the spaces become filled up with
water, the underlying ground material can no
longer support the weight of the surface
material, thereby resulting in a landslide.
● Rainfall-induced landslides often occur in the
Philippines. The damages incurred from the
geological hazard are heavy and expensive. The
extent of the damages from rainfall-induced
landslides was evident in Quezon and Aurora,
which were hit by four tropical cyclones in
succession from November to December 2004.
The landslide movement is characteristic of the sliding
mass movement of materials along an arched portion of
the slope.
Slide
The landslide movement happens along weak portions of
the slope such as fault,joint,or bedding plane. The
motion is usually parallel to the slope.
Creep
The unnoticeable gradual motion of materials
characterizes the type of landslide movement. An area
has to be monitored over a long period of time to detect
the occurrence of a creep.
Fall
Free-falling of the materials that includes bouncing or
rolling happens in this type of landslide movement. As a
result, the rock and debris are heaped at the base of the
slope.

Types of Landslides
The classification of landslide depends on how the mass
movement of the material in a landslide happens. The
following are the different types of landslides:

Flow
The landslide movement is marked by high speed due to
the fluidity and consistency of the material. One type is
debris flow containing loose soil, rock, organic matter,
air, and water. Another type is called mudflow, whose
composition is at least 50% sand, silt, and clay. A
combination of debris flow and mudflow is referred to as
mudslide.
Topple
Similar to a falling domino, the landslide movement is
characterized by the tumbling over of a blocked unit or
Landslide Preparation and Safety Reminders
Preparation for a landslide entails knowing what to do
before, during, and after a landslide. Keep in mind the
following safety measure for it:
What to do before a landslide
1. Create and develop a household emergency plan
for the family. Include the location of where to

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meet in case there is a need to leave the house 5. Assist if possible, in the rescue operation to
immediately. search for casualties and missing people.
2. Practice the evacuation plan with the family
members. Sinkhole
3. Store emergency survival items at the house. A geological hazard characterized as an opening in the
4. Determine the route to the nearest evacuation ground that is a result of the dissolving of rocks beneath
center. the surface of the land or the collapse of underground
5. Observe the conditions and monitor warning caves is called sinkhole. Sinkholes vary in size and
signs in the environment, which include unusual depth, which may be very shallow to hundreds of feet
sounds from trees cracking or boulders knocking deep. Their formation may be sudden or gradual.
each other.
6. Keep updated about the weather conditions Types of Sinkholes
through the radio, television, and newspapers.
Natural processes such as dissolving of rocks and
Remember that heavy rainfall can induce
formation of cavities underneath the surface form
landslides.
sinkholes, which may be classified as follows:
7. Go to the local authorities to learn about their
emergency plans for the community. Dissolution sinkhole
8. Contact the local authorities to find out if there
Since a thin layer of soil or vegetation covers the
is a threat of a landslide in the area.
limestone bedrock (i.e., consolidated solid rock deposits
What to do during a landslide that are mainly composed of calcium carbonate and
found underneath the soil and other debris), rainwater
1. Evacuate immediately when local authorities
finds its way into the spaces within the bedrock and
give the signal.
dissolves the rocks, gradually forming the dissolution
2. Stay in the part of the house that is farthest from
sinkhole, which is also called limestone-solution
the approaching landslide if caught indoors and
sinkhole. This type of sinkhole can eventually turn into a
take cover under a sturdy table or bench. Firmly
pond due to surface runoff. However, the water in the
hold on to the furniture until the tremors stop.
pond can be abruptly drained when it infiltrates the
3. Stay away from the path of the landslide.
ground.
4. Keep clear of structures that may fall such as
trees, power lines, and poles.
5. Move quickly to a higher area when there is
either a sudden increase or decrease of water
flow, or a clear water turning murky.

What to do after a landslide

1. Stay informed on the current news and warnings
about the landslide.
2. Avoid immediately returning to the areas prone
to landslides, unless the local authorities
Cover subsidence sinkhole
announce it is safe.
3. Assess all damages within the residential area Sediments like sand lying on the bedrock fill in the
once it is free from danger to return. cavities within the bedrock, which slowly sinks the
4. Contact concerned authorities on the damages of surface and creates the cover-subsidence sinkhole. The
utilities such as electrical lines and water sunken area continues to become enlarged due to its
pipelines. constant exposure to erosion.

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Cover collapse sinkhole
It can suddenly form, making it the most dangerous type
of sinkhole. It takes place in an area with a layer of clay
covering the bedrock. Deep in the ground is an
underground cavern that is exposed to dissolution.
Sediments eventually reach the bottom of the cavern.
Crumbling of the ground continues until the top layer of
the cavern becomes too thin. Consequently, the layer
collapses, creating the sinkhole, which can cause the
structures on top of it to topple down.
3. Report the sinkhole to the local officials and
concerned professionals to determine the conditions
below the surface.
4. Barricade the area where there is traffic coming from
vehicles and people to keep them away from the
sinkhole. Do the same in a place where there are
livestock and pets.
5. Keep tractors and any heavy equipment from the
sinkhole.
6. Refrain from throwing trash or dirt in the sinkhole
because it will contaminate the groundwater.

Sinkhole Preparation and Safety Reminders

Sinkholes cannot be predicted because they may
suddenly appear. Nonetheless, the following safety
measures in relation to the geological hazard can be
undertaken:

What to do before a sinkhole

1. Get information about the soil geology of the
residential area to know its susceptibility to a sinkhole.
Check soil maps and coordinate with the nearest local
officials.
2. Perform the necessary preparations to the house and
property like securing the durability of the foundations.
3. Be alert during heavy rainfall that may induce the
formation of sinkholes.
4. Observe signs of water loss from nearby small bodies
of water such as ponds.

What to do after a sinkhole

1. Stay away from the sinkhole.
2. Take photographs at a safe distance from the sinkhole
for documentation.