Fresh lava cascades down Mayon slope; volcanologists brace for eruption

In this handout photo taken on October 12, 2014 and released by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) shows the crater of Mayon volcano spewing smoke as seen from the observation post in Legazpi City, Albay province, southeast of Manila. AFP

MANILA, Philippines – Volcanologists are now bracing for the eruption of Mayon Volcano after fresh lava cascaded down its slope.

At the Senate hearing on the Department of Science and Technology’s budget, Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said Monday Phivolcs has been monitoring the volcano for possible eruption.

“We’re still monitoring it because there’s a possibility that it will have its explosive phase. It’s a common pattern in Mayon that after the lava flow, there’s an explosion,’’ he told the finance subcommittee. “If we look at past historical eruptions, more of the eruptions are like that. Only in 2009 where there was no significant explosion.’’

Solidum said that magma continued to push up in batches, contributing to the swelling of the crater.

“Based on our estimate, the volume should be at least the same as 2009, which was 30 million cubic meters. What was erupted is not that significant; it could be 2 million cu m. So there’s the threatening aspect of the current unrest,’’ he said.

Solidum could not specify the timeframe for the eruption, saying this was dependent on the movement of the lava up the volcano.

“If it’s a sluggish movement, then the eruption is not that explosive. But once the magma moves up faster, more volume will be erupted. So that’s quite dangerous,’’ he said.

After a lull, lava recently cascaded down the slopes, raising fears it would erupt anytime. Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said Mayon was most likely going through a “soft eruption.’’

Solidum clarified that there was no such thing as “soft eruption.’’ He called the volcano’s lava flow a “non-explosive eruption.’’

“People are laymanizing it to a soft eruption,’’ he told the finance subcommittee chaired by Sen. Ralph Recto. “There’s no soft eruption term. Likewise there is no hard eruption term. It should be explosive or non-explosive.’’

At present, the volcano has been undergoing a “non-explosive phase,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, President Aquino has approved Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman’s request for the national government to supply a 90-day food supply for thousands of families who have fled the rumbling volcano.

Soliman on Monday told the finance sub-committee that social welfare personnel have been packing food provisions for more than 12,700 families cooped up in temporary shelters.

The provisions, including canned goods and non-food items, would cost the government some P560 million, she said.

“We’ve already gotten approval from the President for 90 days for 12,000 families,’’ she told the finance subcommittee.

The Secretary, who said that lava has started to flow when she flew to the area Sunday, said the national government has started augmenting the supply of the provincial government.

Albay government, which had been rationing food to the evacuees for three weeks now, has aired an appeal for help, she said.

“We’re working on Mayon. They’re telling us 90 days,’’ she said, citing the advice of volcanologists.

The government has evacuated around 63,000 people living inside the 6-kilometer danger zone around the volcano after it began to emit white smoke and some lava last month.

In an interview after the hearing, Soliman said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has prepared 54,000 food packs, including 22,000 that were delivered by trucks to the evacuees last Sunday.

“Simultaneously, the procurement is ongoing,’’ she said.

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