The state seismologist on Tuesday reported that the summit of the Mayon Volcano continues to effuse lava down its slopes at a very slow rate.
In its latest 24-hour observation bulletin issued at 8 AM, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that the very slow effusion of lava from the volcano's summit crater reached an approximate distance of one kilometers downslope of the Misi and Bonga Gullies.
Phivolcs said that the country’s most active volcano had one volcanic earthquake and 221 rockfall events, slightly lower than 21 volcanic earthquakes and 260 rockfall events recorded on Monday.
It said that Mayon Volcano emitted one dome-collapse pyroclastic density current (PDC) that lasted two minutes and 723 tonnes of sulfur dioxide since Monday, June 12.
“Fair crater glow or “banaag” and incandescent rockfall shed from new fluidal lava at the summit of Mayon Volcano was observed,” the state seismologist said.
Phivolcs said its EDM, precise leveling, continuous GPS, and electronic tilt monitoring showed that the Mayon’s northwest and southeast edifice are still inflated.
The Mayon remains under Alert Level 3 due to "its relatively high level of unrest" and possibility of "hazardous eruption within weeks or even days."
LOOK: Lava flow from Mayon Volcano’s summit crater has reached an approximate distance of 800-1000 meters downslope of the Miisi and Bonga Gullies. Photos are taken from the Mayon Volcano Observatory at 2256H PST 12 June 2023 and 0003H PST 13 June 2023. pic.twitter.com/oup9lBTjG8
— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) June 12, 2023
Interviewed by DZRH on Monday, Phivolcs-Legazpi officer-in-charge Bebora Fernandez explained that the Mayon volcano is in “effusive eruption.”
“Kapag sinabi nating effusive, ito ay mabagal or tahimik na pag-erupt or paglabas ng lava. Samantala, ‘yung ibang eruption kagaya ng phreatic, usually steam-drive itong phreatic, meron ding kasamang abo. At sympre, iba din ‘yung lava fountaining or magma eruption,” she said.
As of this writing, the local government units of Albay province has evacuated 3,782 families or 13,792 persons living inside Mayon Volcano's 6-kilometer danger zone.
The Albay provinical government has placed the poulation inside the 7-kilometer extended danger zone under "status of preparedness" which means evacuation will be executed anytime.
