Mayon erupts, but ashfall is minimal
MAYON Volcano in Bicol exploded before dawn yesterday, emitting light brown smoke with minimal ash content.
Jaime Sincioco, officer in charge of Phivolcs’ Volcano Monitoring Division, said the minor ash explosion occurred at the summit crater at 1:58 a.m., producing a brownish ash column that rose to a maximum height of about a kilometer above the crater and drifted towards the southwest.
The agency’s seismic network recorded the event as an explosion-type earthquake and lasted for about three minutes and accompanied by rumbling sounds.
Sincioco said incandescent rock fragments at the upper slope were observed in Barangays Lidong in Sto. Domingo, Tumpa and Anoling of Camalig.
He said traces of one-millimeter ashfall were observed in villages of Tumpa of Camalig, Travesia, Maipon, Masarawag, Doña Tumasa, Muladbukad Grande, and Pequeño in Guinobatan, Nabonton and Nasisi in Ligao, while light ashfall was noted in Barangay San Rafael in Guinobatan town.
From Tuesday morning up to yesterday morning, the seismic network recorded 20 volcanic earthquakes.
Phivolcs observed that the volcano’s display of fluctuating ground deformation, SO2 (sulfur dioxide) gas emission, quakes, ash puffing, crater glow and evolving lava dome at the volcano’s summit are signs that magma is building up and moving towards the crater vent.
Sincioco said sulfur dioxide gas emitted by the volcano on Tuesday significantly dropped to 50 tons compared to the 364 tons recorded on Saturday.
However, he said Mayon Volcano’s alert status remained at Level 2, which was declared in July because of the volcano’s abnormal increase in activity.
Sincioco said alert Level 2 signifies a state of unrest that could lead to ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption.
He said the minor ash puff is normal to a volcano under alert Level 2.
Sincioco said Phivolcs is not yet raising the alert to Level 3.
Under Level 3, there is increased tendency towards eruption, with relatively high unrest. Also, volcanic quakes and tremors may become more frequent; there is further increase in sulfur dioxide flux; occurrence of rockfalls around the summit area and vigorous steaming and/or sustained crater glow; and there is persistent swelling of the edifice.
Phivolcs reiterated that the six-km radius permanent danger zone and the seven-km extended danger zone at the southeast wing of the volcano are off limits to the public.
The agency also warned residents along river channels to be on constant alert for possible lahar flows and swelling of the river during bad weather condition or during heavy rains.
In case of ashfalls, Phivolcs advised the public to stay indoors or cover their noses with clean wet cloth or dust mask.
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