Mayon emits ash anew

MANILA, Philippines — Mayon Volcano in Albay yesterday emitted an ash plume that rose 1,500 meters above the crater, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Phivolcs said that a brief lava fountaining activity was recorded at 4:20 a.m. and generated an incandescent fountain that rained ballistic fragments on the southwest and eastern upper slopes within a kilometer from the crater.

Another lava effusion with collapsed pyroclastic density currents was recorded at 10:38 a.m. and lasted two minutes.

The volcano remains under Alert Level 3 and entry into the six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited.

Meanwhile, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake jolted Surigao del Sur yesterday morning, Phivolcs said.

The quake occurred at 8:06 a.m. with its epicenter located approximately 42 kilometers northeast of Marihatag, where it was felt at Intensity 3.

The temblor was initially reported to be magnitude 5 but was later downgraded to magnitude 4.6, state seismologists said.

The temblor was not expected to cause damage to property or generate aftershocks.