Mayon ashfall reaches Tabaco

MANILA, Philippines — Ashfall reached parts of Tabaco City in Albay as increased seismic activity at Mayon Volcano continued in the past 24 hours.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said 17 pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), four of which occurred between 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., lasted for four minutes and traveled three to four kilometers from the Basud gully.

“Ashfall from the PDCs has been reported by residents of Tabaco City and recorded by the Mayon resthouse IP camera,” Phivolcs said in a bulletin.

Ash clouds that rose one kilometer and drifted northwest were observed.

State seismologists said 254 rockfall events and 65 volcanic earthquakes were also monitored.

“Continuous voluminous degassing from the summit crater produced steam-laden plumes that rose 2,000 meters before drifting east-northeast and the general west direction. Sulfur dioxide emission averaged 1,002 tons per day and was detected in significant concentration by satellite monitors,” Phivolcs said.

State seismologists said very slow lava effusion reached 2,230 meters and 1,300 meters along the Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively.

Collapsed debris accumulated at 3,300 meters from the crater.

Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory, said evacuation of residents within the seven to eight-kilometer-radius danger zones would be advised once pyroclastic materials and lava flow breach the six-kilometer permanent danger zone.

Alanis said Mayon’s alert level may be raised to four if the abnormal parameters continue to escalate.

“We will advise concerned disaster management officials to start evacuating residents outside the permanent danger zone up to eight kilometers away from the crater,” he said.

Eugene Escobar, officer-in-charge of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), said concerned residents have been alerted to prepare for evacuation anytime.

APSEMO said 5,749 families or 20,082 people remained in 25 evacuation centers as of yesterday.

Food packs

Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian ordered the beefing up of family food packs in DSWD warehouses in Bicol.

Gatchalian directed DSWD regional director Norman Laurio to ensure that warehouses in the region have enough supply.

“We have to make sure that we finish the delivery of family food packs to all local government units good for 15 days of supply,” he said.

Gatchalian also tasked DSWD assistant secretary Marlon Alagao, head of the Disaster Response Management Group, to stock up food packs in DSWD warehouses in Matnog, Sorsogon.

The warehouses can accommodate up to 20,000 food packs. — Sheila Crisostomo