MANILA, Philippines — Lava flows, rockfalls, and volcanic earthquakes were observed in the past 24 hours as Mayon Volcano maintained a high level of unrest, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported Sunday.
Phivolcs said in its latest bulletin that the lava slowly oozing out of Mayon’s crater reached 1.3 kilometers and 1.2 km along the Mi-isi gully in Daraga town and Bonga gully in Legazpi City, respectively. Debris from the collapse spread as far as 3.3 km away from the crater.
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State volcanologists also recorded 257 rockfall events, 24 volcanic earthquakes, and 16 fast-moving avalanches of volcanic ash, rock and gases, known as pyroclastic density currents (PDCs).
Mayon Volcano has been under Alert Level 3—which indicates the possibility of a hazardous eruption within weeks or even days—since June 8.
Phivolcs warned that “heavy rainfall could generate channel-confined lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels where PDC deposits were emplaced.”
Over 20,000 people in Albay moved to safer areas due to Mayon’s unrest, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Majority of the evacuees were taken to 28 evacuation centers in the province.
The government has so far provided P91.8 million in assistance to affected residents.
Phivolcs earlier said that Mayon’s unrest could persist for at least three months. — Gaea Katreena Cabico