Mayon’s hazardous eruption still possible – Phivolcs

MANILA, Philippines - The possibility of a “hazardous eruption” of Mt. Mayon in Albay within weeks remains high, despite a decrease in the volcano’s activity in the past weeks, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

Phivolcs said Mayon’s current condition remains unstable, noting the swelling or inflation of its edifice as measured from Oct. 20 to 27.

The agency maintains the alert status at level 3.

 “At this stage, potentially eruptible magma has already been intruded and continue to be intruded beneath the edifice,” it said.

Phivolcs said from the following weeks to months, this magma could erupt quietly as a lava flow or explosively as a vertical column, a pyroclastic flow or both.

Two volcanic earthquakes were detected during the past 24 hours, which the agency said was consistent with the overall slow, aseismic magma intrusion that characterized the volcano’s activity this year.

It also observed a moderate emission of white steam plumes, which drifted west-southwest.

Phivolcs said the sulfur dioxide emitted at the crater was measured last Oct. 30 at 448 tons, which is near the baseline level of 500 tons a day.