Alert Level 3 still up: Mayon Volcano continues to emit lava, sulfur dioxide

As Mayon Volcano “bleeds” Thursday night, a teacher at Taladong Elementary School in Camalig, Albay, remains undeterred, holding a class for some evacuees PHOTO BY MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

The Mayon Volcano’s very slow effusion of lava and emission of sulfur dioxide continued amid its current high level of unrest, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In its bulletin issued on Saturday, state volcanologists said the effusion of lava was observed from Mayon’s summit crater, feeding lava flows and collapse debris on the Mi-si and Bonga gullies.

“The lava flows have advanced to maximum lengths of 1,500 meters from the summit crater while collapse debris have deposited to 3,300 meters from the crater,” said Phivolcs.

Apart from this, Phivolcs noted that nine dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), 280 rockfall events, and two volcanic earthquakes were also recorded by the Mayon Volcano Network. Within the same period, continuous moderate degassing and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission also persisted.

These were all observed after the volcano unleashed its biggest pyroclastic flow according to the institution.

With these developments, Phivolcs reiterated that Mayon Volcano is still under Alert Level 3. Under this level, hazardous eruption within weeks or even days is possible.

Filipinos residing within or near the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) were told to evacuate due to the hazards that Mayon’s unrest may bring.