More villages affected by Mayon ashfall

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — After a series of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) in the past two days, ashfall from Mayon Volcano reached more foot-slope and nearby villages yesterday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Phivolcs said ashfall was monitored in parts of Barangays Mabinit and Bonga in this city; Budiao, Salvacion, Banadero and Mi-isi in Daraga, and Tumpa and nearby areas in Camalig.

“While lava also carries ashfall, the PDCs generate more ashfall once they cool off after effusion,” Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory, said.

Ashfall had earlier been reported in parts of Tabaco and Ligao cities as well as in Guinobatan town.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, advised the public to stay indoors or wear face masks or a piece of cloth to cover their nose and mouth when outdoors.

Daep said ashfall is manageable when a volcano is under Alert Level 3.

”Ashfall does not pose much threat compared to other hazards from Mayon’s restiveness,” he said.

Phivolcs recorded 38 PDCs generated by partial collapses from the summit lava dome.

Advancing front and margins of the lava flow that traveled one to three minutes within four kilometers of the major gullies in Basud in Sto. Domingo, Mi-isi in Daraga and Bonga were also monitored.

Phivolcs said 511 rockfall events, three volcanic earthquakes, plumes that rose 800 meters and drifted southwest as well as sulfur dioxide emission that averaged 721 tons were observed.

The very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater continued to feed lava flows that remained at approximate lengths of 2,800 meters and 1,400 meters along the Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively.

Collapsed debris had reached 4,000 meters from the crater along the Basud channel in Sto. Domingo town.