Mayon watched for non-explosive eruption
Evacuees from the Bagong Bayan Central School in Legazpi, Albay ride a jeepney yesterday after they were allowed to return to their houses, which were not in the danger zone of Mayon Volcano. Mayon is being monitored for non-explosive eruptions. Edd Gumban
MANILA, Philippines — Mayon Volcano’s current activities may not lead to an “explosive” eruption, according to state volcanologists, but they continued to warn residents against mudflow and lahar flow which could be triggered by heavy rains.
“Quiet lava effusion from the new summit lava dome and lava collapse events characterized Mayon Volcano’s eruptive activity in the past 24 hours,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in its latest bulletin issued yesterday morning.
A non-explosive or effusive eruption happens when lava flows are “relatively calm and do not explode out of the volcano.”
Department of Science and Technology undersecretary and Phivolcs director Renato Solidum earlier said they expected a “moderate-sized” explosion based on its current activities.
“We don’t see that in the scale of the 1814 eruption,” referring to the volcano’s eruption in February 1814, which killed 1,200 people.
Phivolcs noted that lava flow in Mayon’s Miisi Gully has advanced approximately three kilometers from the crater, well within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone.
Phivolcs maintains Alert Level 3 at Mayon as of yesterday afternoon, which means that it “is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days.”
“The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and desist from entering the permanent danger zone and the seven-kilometer extended danger zone on the southern flanks due to danger of rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse that may generate hazardous volcanic flows.”
Total lava extrusion at Mayon Volcano starting Saturday last week has reached five million cubic meters, Phivolcs said.
It’s possible that Mayon could just extrude lava, Solidum added, which is better for the people of Albay who are affected by the unrest.
“But it’s difficult to say because the unrest is just there unless the inflation stops and the volcano becomes silent,” he said.
At present, there are 6,973 families or 26,971 persons staying at 31 evacuation centers from 32 barangays in Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo and Tabaco City.
Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal said he ordered 2,462 families or 11,500 evacuees from barangays Bonga, Mabinit, Matanag, Boyoan and Padang from the extended one-kilometer danger zone at the south flank of the volcano to decamp at 3 p.m. last Thursday.– With Celso Amo
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