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MANILA — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Thursday said it detected an increase in seismic activity at Mount Kanlaon, located in Negros.

The agency recorded 34 volcanic quakes at Kanlaon between Monday and Wednesday, said Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol. The Kanlaon network only logged a daily average of 2 to 3 quakes in August, he said.

"Medyo significant yung pag-increase niya within the past 3 days... Ang ibig sabihin po natin there’s an ongoing restructuring of rocks sa ilalim ng bulkan," the official told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

(The increase in its activity within the past 3 days was a bit significant. This means that there’s an ongoing restructuring of rocks under the volcano.)

But the increased seismic activity is not yet enough for Phivolcs to upgrade Kanlaon's alert level, he said.

"We will assess this on a day-to-day basis. Kapag sustained yung pagtaas and other parameters also biglang tataas, puwede nating itaas ang alert level from 1 to 2," Bacolcol said.

(If the increase is sustained and other parameters suddenly spike, that's when we can raise the alert level from 1 to 2.)

• Phivolcs: Mt. Kanlaon unrest indicates looming phreatic eruption

In the meantime, Phivolcs reminded the public to refrain from entering the four-kilometer permanent danger zone around the volcano "due to increased chances of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions occurring without warning."

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.

• Taal, Kanlaon volcanoes remain under Alert Level 1
• Phivolcs: Mayon unrest may take months as thousands stay in evacuation centers

— With a report from Agence France-Presse