LEGAZPI CITY –- Alert Level 3 is still in effect over Mayon Volcano.
This was stressed by the Dr. Eduardo Laguerta, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology resident volcanologist in Bicol, during a Mayon Volcano media briefing at the operations room of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) Friday morning.
Laguerta said the possibility of lowering the alarm status of the volcano is remote based on Phivolcs’ geodetic and geochemical records.
He said the edifice of the volcano continues to swell, based on the latest ground deformation survey done by the Phivolcs geodetic team, which is still ongoing.
Aside from this, the expert volcanologist said, the volume of sulfur dioxide gas emission was measured at an average of 1478 tonnes/day during the past 24-hour observation period.
“The criteria of Mayon is above the parameters of Alert Level 2. For this, we cannot lower the level,” Laguerta said.
Laguerta said the pyroclastic materials are superheated at at least 1,000 degrees Celsius while the flow’s speed is 100 kilometers per hour, which, he claimed, will increase due to the steepness of Mayon.
The Phivolcs official said anybody who might get hit by the superheated pyroclastic materials will die.
“It will take years before the volcanic materials will cool down,” he said.
Based on bulletin, quiet lava effusion from the new summit lava dome and lava collapse events characterized Mayon Volcano’s eruptive activity. Also, 24 rockfall events and one volcanic earthquake were recorded by Mayon’s seismic monitoring network.
Rockfall events were generated by the collapsing lava front and margins of the advancing lava flow on the Miisi Gully and by shedding from the summit dome onto the Bonga Gully.
Currently, the Miisi lava flow has advanced to approximately three kilometers from the summit crater well within the Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).
Ash clouds were lofted from the rockfall events as well as from the persistent disintegration of lava on the advancing front of the Miisi lava flow before drifting to the southwest.
As of now, Laguerta said, time is important in determining all the parameters they are monitoring.
He reiterated that the major factor that could cause an eruption is the continuous harmonic tremors or continuous vibration of the ground.
He appealed to those living around the volcano to be always on alert over the present condition of Mayon.
Meanwhile, Daep said all the preparations and plans of the provincial government are always geared towards a worst-case scenario as ordered by Govenor Al Francis Bichara as chief disaster officer. (Connie Calipay/PNA)
