In this January 22, 2018 photo, Mt. Mayon spews column of ash into the sky about 10 kilometers in height around 12: 45 p.m. raising its alert level from 3 to 4. The Ashfall will hit the towns of Guinobatan, Oas, Polangui, Libon and Ligao City. Photo by Michael Jaucian / Inquirer Southern Luzon
LEGAZPI CITY – Mayon Volcano had another steam-driven or “phreatic” eruption, spewing grayish ash plume 300 meters high from the summit on Friday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
The event, already the second time this week, was observed around 6:27 a.m. and followed a similar eruption on Thursday morning.
Friday’s phreatic eruption sent into the air a grayish ash plume that drifted southwest towards the towns of Camalig and Guinobatan, according to Phivolcs Senior Science Research Specialist Paul Alanis.
“It (phreatic eruption) is just a normal occurrence, signs that signify the volcano is still restive,” he said.
Alanis explained that the two steam-driven explosions were triggered by the volcano’s natural “degassing process.”
Phivolcs seismic monitoring network for the past 24-hours has recorded six volcanic earthquakes and two rock-fall events. Two of the earthquakes were related to the steam-driven explosion that occurred Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Phivolcs said fair crater glow continued to be observed at night while sulfur gas emission was measured at 988 tons per day.
Alert level 2 remains hoisted over Mayon Volcano. This means the volcano continues at a moderate level of unrest.
Phivolcs reiterated its warning to villagers not to enter the six-kilometer danger zone (6-km PDZ) and a precautionary seven-kilometer radius extended danger zone (EDZ) stretching from the Anoling, Camalig to Sta. Misericordia, Sto. Domingo.
Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions may pose hazards to aircraft, Phivolcs said. /kga