Phivolcs: No hazardous Mayon eruption seen

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines —Despite a sudden increase in seismic activity and other abnormal signs, the alert level in Mayon Volcano will not be raised yet, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs said a ”very slow effusion of lava” from the summit crater of Mayon continued in the past 24 hours.

Lava flow, which reached around 1,200 to 1,600 meters, moved along the Mi-isi or south and Bonga or southeastern gullies.

State seismologists said 107 volcanic earthquakes, 241 rockfall events, 17 dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents that lasted for three minutes, plumes that rose up to 750 meters and sulfur dioxide emissions that averaged 753 tons were also monitored.

Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory, said these seismic events carried low energy and may not lead yet to a hazardous eruption.

“We don’t only see the seismic activity of Mayon in terms of number. We analyze more if these volcanic earthquakes exhibit strong energy that could trigger a strong explosion. So far, the quakes that our instruments are detecting are only shallow and low in energy,” Alanis told The STAR.

He said state seismologists have intensified monitoring to ensure that any abrupt change in abnormal parameters is immediately analyzed and disseminated to concerned disaster management agencies.

“So far, Mayon Volcano is still under alert level three as these increased abnormal signs remain confined at the level three parameters,” Alanis said.

Phivolcs said residents within the seven and eight-kilometer-radius danger zones “must always be prepared.”

Eugene Escobar, officer-in-charge of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said concerned residents had been advised to evacuate once Phivolcs issues an advisory.

Up to 5,750 families or 20,103 people remain in 35 evacuation centers across Albay as of yesterday. — Romina Cabrera