Mayon ashfall reaches 2 more areas

MANILA, Philippines — Increased seismic activity was observed in Mayon Volcano in the past 24 hours, with ashfall reported in two more areas in Albay.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said six dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents generated ashfall that reached parts of Guinobatan town and Ligao City.

“Based on the current prevailing wind pattern, ashfall events may likely occur on the south side of the volcano,” Phivolcs said.

Over the weekend, ashfall was monitored in parts of Tabaco City.

Up to 257 rockfall events and continuous moderate degassing from the summit crater that produced steam-laden plumes rising up to 200 meters were also observed.

State seismologists monitored a series of volcanic earthquakes with increasing strength.

Sulfur dioxide emissions rose to 1,558 tons per day.

“This current phase of unrest is likely driven by magmatic gas activity within the edifice,” Phivolcs said.

Ban settlements within danger zone

Meanwhile, Albay disaster management officials are seeking the enactment of a law that will prohibit settlements within Mayon’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone.

The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Office (APSEMO) said it has to order the evacuation of more than 5,000 families or 25,000 people every time Mayon’s alert level is raised to three and more than 60,000 families when the volcano is under Alert Level 4 or 5.

“We started the relocation of Mayon evacuees as early as 1993... but it did not solve the problem with people inhabiting the permanent danger zone,” APSEMO head Cedric Daep told The STAR.

He lamented that some evacuees have been sneaking back into the danger zone when the volcano’s condition appeared to have normalized.

There were also cases of evacuees who sold their houses at relocation sites and returned to to their residences at the foot of Mayon.

Daep said Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act declares Mayon as a protected area being a mountain or a forest reserve, but not as a volcano.

Claudio Yucot, director of the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, said there is no valid reason to justify settlement within the permanent danger zone. — Cet Dematera