Mayon still restless

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 despite lower recordings of volcanic quakes and rockfalls, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

Phivolcs said two volcanic quakes and four rockfall events have been recorded during the past 24 hours.

Under Alert Level 3, magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruption is possible within weeks, Phivolcs said.

“We cannot just downgrade the present alert level. At the very least, one week is needed to determine if there is a general downtrend in its critical parameters,” Phivolcs research specialist Paul Alanis said.

“But as of now, other parameters are still high. We just don’t look at one parameter. This is not significant due to volcanic earthquake and rockfall events.”

Alanis noted that during Mayon’s 1984 eruption, the volcano was quiet for one week before a strong eruption occurred.

Weak to moderate emission of white steam plumes drifting northwest and southwest was also observed, Phivolcs said.

 The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said nine areas in Albay may be affected in case of ashfall from Mayon in the next 24 hours.

 These are Camalig, Daraga, Jovellar, Guinobatan, Pio Duran, Ligao, Oas, Polangui and Libon.

Meanwhile, prices of vegetables and other agricultural products grown on Mayon’s slopes have started to soar up to 150 percent.

Farming and other human activities are prohibited within the permanent danger zone.

Pechay is sold at P60 per kilo from only P20 per kilo, a resident of Barangay Rawis in Legazpi City said. – With Cet Dematera, Helen Flores