Alert level 2 raised over Mayon after phreatic eruption
Mayon Volcano spewed ash over two towns in Albay Saturday, causing hundreds to flee and seek shelter in evacuation centers. Photo by Amy Moral, Contributor
GUINOBATAN, Albay—The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Mayon Volcano’s alert status to Alert Level 2 early Sunday.
Mayon, one of the most active volcanos in the country, spewed grayish steam and ash plume that reached 2.5 kilometers Saturday in a phreatic eruption that lasted for an hour and 47 minutes starting 4:21 p.m.
Residents are now advised not to enter the 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) to avoid harm from explosions, rock fall, and landslides that may occur in the area.
Phivolcs also advised civil aviaton authorities to advise pilots not to fly close to the summit of the volcano as sudden eruption may cause hazards to aircrafts.
Residents of the areas affected of the ash fall are still advised to wear face masks or clean cloth to cover their mouths and noses.
According to Chief Inspector Arthur Gomez, Albay police spokesperson, the phreatic eruption displaced at least 665 of families in the villages in Guinobatan and Camalig towns. Four hundred seventy-five families are in an evacuation center in Guinobatan while 190 families are in two separate centers in Camalig.
Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo), said that residents may be decamped.
“We may decamp at Alert Level 2 unless the alert status is raised again to 3. We are just making sure,” Daep said. /je
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