Mayon alert level further lowered to 2

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered yesterday the alert level at Mt. Mayon in Albay from 3 to 2 after noting a decline in the volcano’s overall activity in the past several days.

“This means a further reduction in the likelihood of a hazardous eruption,” Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said.

Alert level 2 means moderate unrest, with low to moderate level of seismic activity and episodes of harmonic tremor and increasing sulfur dioxide flux.

However, Solidum stressed that the lowering of the alert level should not be interpreted that the volcano’s unrest has ceased.

Solidum said that since Jan. 2 when the agency lowered the alert level to 3, a further decline in Mayon’s overall activity was observed.

He said the seismic network continues to record a few low frequency-type volcanic earthquakes associated with the degassing of residual magma.

With the lower alert level, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ordered some 400 families or 2,000 people from Barangay Anoling, Camalig town who are still staying at the Fidel V. Ramos-Florencio Muñoz evacuation center to return home.

The same directive also applied to evacuees from Barangay Banadero in Daraga town who are housed at the Anislag resettlement site. – With Cet Dematera and Celso Amo