Phivolcs records decrease in Mayon Volcano’s activities

VOLCANO WATCH Albay residents and visitors continue monitoring the situation on Mayon Volcano, two weeks since its alert level was raised to 3 due to its increased activity. —MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN

MANILA, Philippines — State seismologists on Thursday recorded a continuous decrease in Mayon Volcano’s activities including rockfall events and sulfur dioxide flux.

Mayon Volcano saw 296 rockfall events, and it emitted sulfur dioxide flux of 595 metric tons from 5:00 am of June 28 to 5:00 am of June 29, according to the latest bulletin of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The activity in the said parameters was less than the previous period when Phivolcs recorded 372 rockfall events and 964 metric tons of sulfur dioxide flux emission from the volcano.

Only one volcanic earthquake was recorded by Phivolcs from 5:00 am on June 28 to 5:00 am on June 29, similar to the previous period.

The sharp decrease in volcanic earthquakes, which began on Wednesday, was a far cry from Tuesday’s when 107 volcanic tremors were logged, marking the culmination of what the state volcanologists call an “increase of seismic activity,” which began on June 24.

Mayon Volcano has been under Alert Level 3 since June 8, with the unrest seen to last for a few months based on the volcano monitor’s observations.

JMS