Mayon Volcano records 254 rockfall events in 24 hours

MANILA, Philippines — Mayon Volcano in Albay has experienced 254 rockfall events within the past 24 hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In the 8 a.m. bulletin released Saturday, Phivolcs reported that Mayon Volcano exhibited a very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater. This resulted in the continued formation of lava flows in the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (southeastern) gullies, as well as rockfall and pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) in these areas and the Basud (eastern) gully.

Although the number of rockfall events decreased slightly compared to the previous day's count of 284, the volcanic activity remains a cause for concern.

Seventeen dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) and 65 weak volcanic earthquakes have been documented during the monitoring period.

In the 8 p.m. Friday advisory, Phivolcs recorded four PDCs that occurred in the evening, flowing down the Basud Gully for four minutes and covering a distance of three to four kilometers.

The agency also detected significant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), averaging 1,002 tonnes per day. These emissions were first observed on June 29, 2023 through satellite monitoring.

“Lava flows advanced to approximate lengths of 2,230 meters and 1,300 meters along Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively, from the summit crater while collapse debris deposited to 3,300 meters from the crater,” Phivolcs said.

Mayon Volcano remains at Alert Level 3, indicating a high level of unrest. Phivolcs warns that a hazardous eruption could occur within weeks or even days due to the presence of magma in the crater.