Phivolcs: Mayon still acting up

Hazardous eruption possible

MANILA, Philippines — Increased seismic activity continued in Mayon Volcano yesterday, one month after it was placed under Alert Level 3 due to high level of unrest.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said hazardous eruption may still occur within weeks or days as it recommended the continued evacuation of residents within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone.

Phivolcs said 303 rockfall events and eight volcanic earthquakes have been monitored since Friday.

A lava-collapse pyroclastic density current that generated a 300-meter-high ash cloud was also recorded.

Very slow effusion of lava continued from the summit crater, with lava flows advancing 1,300 to 2,800 meters on the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (southeastern) gullies.

Collapse debris was deposited 4,000 meters from the crater.

Phivolc said sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 792 tons per day on Friday, with continuous moderate degassing producing steam-laden plumes that rose 1,000 meters.

Eugene Escobar, officer-in-charge of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), said 5,743 families or 20,068 people remain in 35 evacuation centers across Albay.

Escobar said APSEMO had coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) office in Bicol for additional schools that can be used as evacuation centers should Mayon’s condition worsens.

“DepEd-Bicol has provided us with the list of schools to be used as evacuation centers once the evacuation is extended to the seven to eight-kilometer danger zone of Mayon,” he said.