Phivolcs raises Mayon Volcano status to Alert Level 2

(FILE) Mt. Mayon is a picture of beauty and calm at daybreak in this photo taken from Barangay Puro, Legazpi City.  —MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday raised the status of Mayon Volcano to Alert Level 2.

“DOST-PHIVOLCS is raising the Alert Level of Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 1 (abnormal) to Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest),” the state volcanologist said in a statement.

READ: Phivolcs places Mayon Volcano under Alert Level 1

“This means that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption,” Phivolcs added.

Phivolcs said its daily visual and camera monitoring of the volcano’s summit crater revealed a “continued aseismic growth of its lava dome.”

Phivolcs is strongly advising the public not to enter the volcano’s 6-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone to avoid possible sudden explosions, rockfall and landslides.

/MUF