Mayon Volcano unrest similar to 2014 eruption – Phivolcs chief

MANILA, Philippines — The current state of unrest of Mayon Volcano in Albay is similar to its eruption in 2014, but a violent eruption still cannot be ruled out, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Teresito Bacolcol said yesterday.

“The state of unrest is similar to the 2014 eruption which was a quiet, effusive eruption. However, there could be changes anytime, and again this may progress in a violent eruption, but right now the unrest is the same as the 2014 eruption,” Bacolcol said in a radio interview.

He said Alert Level 3 remains in effect at Mayon Volcano where there is very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater. Current activity of the volcano is expected to persist for three months.

“In 2014, the Mayon Volcano unrest lasted for three months. It started in August and finally ended in November. If we will base it here, it could probably take three months before the activity of Mayon stops,” Bacolcol added.

He said the evacuees should remain at evacuation centers until the unrest subsides.

According to Bacolcol, Phivolcs recorded no volcanic earthquakes compared to the three volcanic earthquakes between June 17 and 18. However, he noted that Mayon Volcano is ripe for eruption.

“As early as three years before, Mayon Volcano erupted after its last eruption as late as 10 years, so based on the eruption activities of Mayon, it’s been five years already since 2018, and is normal to erupt anew,” he said, recalling that the most violent eruption of Mayon Volcano was in 1814 when the Cagsawa church was destroyed.

“That was the most eruptive… (but) right now, the current activity of Mayon is largely effusive eruption, then slow and quiet eruption, hopefully, it will not progress into violent activity,” he noted.

According to Phivolcs, the upper slopes of the volcano have been inflated since February, adding that there should be increased vigilance against pyroclastic density currents, lahars and sediment-laden streamflows along channels draining the edifice.

628 injured, sick

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 628 people have been reported injured – including people who have fallen sick – more than two weeks after Mayon Volcano started showing signs of increased activity, forcing thousands to evacuate its extended permanent danger zone or PDZ.

Data show that most cases involve cough and colds followed by fever, acute respiratory infection, headache, HPN (home parenteral nutrition), dizziness, skin disease, abdominal pain, colds and acute gastroenteritis.

NDRRMC spokesman Raffy Alejandro IV said the number of injuries is based on the monitoring being done by the Department of Health (DOH), to which the team refers those who are ill.

Alejandro said this is not really a cause for concern because “if you look at the statistics, you say 18,000 evacuees, less than one percent? So nothing, there is no outbreak,” he said.

Alejandro said such common illnesses are expected and to address these, the DOH is going around conducting medical missions and providing medicines or treatment.

Though the number may increase, he gave assurance that check-ups and medicines are being provided to the evacuees and the DOH is even planning on establishing clinics or isolation rooms for sick individuals per camp.

As of yesterday, there have been no reported deaths or missing persons.

The NDRRMC said a total of 10,146 families or 38,961 persons in the Bicol region have been affected so far by the continuing volcanic activity.

Of the number, 5,466 families or 18,892 persons are being served in 28 different evacuation centers where national and local government agencies are providing for their basic needs.

So far, more than P71.5 million worth of assistance including cash, food, water, sleeping kits and other essentials have been given to those affected.

Lava flow

For three days, fresh lava oozing from the summit crater of Mayon Volcano accumulated inside the major gullies, preventing lava fronts from advancing further downslope, Phivolcs reported yesterday.

“We could note that the 1,500-meter stretch lava flow and the 3,300-meter collapse debris did not advance further downslope. This is due to the very slow lava movement and the continuing accumulation of these materials in these deep gullies,” said Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory in Legazpi City.

In its June 17 to 19 bulletin, Phivolcs reported lava flows remained at 1,500-meter stretch and collapse debris at 3,300 meters while being fed at the Mi-isi Gully in Daraga town and Bonga Gully in Legazpi City.

Mountain climbers that joined the retrieval operations of the passengers of the ill-fated Cessna plane that crashed over Mayon last February have it that the volcano’s major gullies were varying from 50 to 100 meters deep and 100 to 200 meters wide.

Alanis said fresh lava continued to ooze out of Mayon’s crater in more than a week. In the past 24 hours, Phivolcs recorded five dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents that lasted three minutes and 265 rockfall events.

Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office OIC Eugene Escobar said evacuees further rose to 5,813 families or 20,049 persons until noon yesterday as Mayon’s level of unrest remained high.

Taal, Kanlaon

Bacolcol on Monday said sulfur dioxide emissions of Taal Volcano in Batangas and Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island increased, indicating that the unrest of the two volcanoes persists.

In a radio interview, Bacolcol noted that sulfur dioxide emission of Taal Volcano reached 7,643 tons per day as of 5 a.m., higher than its previous sulfur dioxide flux of 5,024 tons per day.

He said at least 14 volcanic earthquakes were also recorded compared to the previous 22 volcanic earthquakes between June 17 and 18.

On the other hand, Bacolcol said that Kanlaon Volcano recorded at least 1,198 tonnes per day of sulfur dioxide emission.

“Usually, Kanlaon will emit very minimal sulfur dioxide, about 50 tons per day. The more than 1,000 tons per day is quite significant,” he added.

Alert level 1 is currently in effect at Taal and Kanlaon volcanoes. — Michael Punongbayan, Cet Dematera