The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has recorded a persistent increase in Mayon Volcano’s activities, with 26 volcanic earthquakes and 303 rockfall events from 5 AM on July 8 to 5 AM on July 9.
Based on its latest monitoring issued on Sunday, July 9, the Mayon Volcano also had 3 dome-collapse pyroclastic density current events (PDCs) that lasted for about 1.5 minutes to 2 minutes long.
Alongside, Mount Mayon had 1 lava front collapse PDC that produced a 500-meter-high light-brown plume.
Due to continuous moderate degassing, the summit crater of Mayon Volcano generated 1,000-meter-high steam-laden plumes before these drifted southwest and west-southwest.
The country’s active volcano has emitted 1,145 tonnes of sulfur dioxide since July 8.
The state seismologist also reported that the Mayon Volcano’s summit crater continues to effuse fiery lava.
“The lava flows have advanced to approximate lengths of two thousand eight hundred (2,800) meters and one thousand three hundred (1300) meters along Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively, from the summit crater,” it said.
Phivolcs said its short-term and long-term observations still show that the Mayon Volcano edifice is inflated.
As of July 9, Mayon Volcano is still placed under Alert Level 3 as it continues to exhibit a “relatively high level of unrest.”
Phivolcs said a hazardous eruption is still likely to happen within weeks or even days.
Meanwhile, the latest monitoring from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that the restiveness of Mayon Volcano has affected a total of 9,867 families or 38,375 residents in Albay.
Of the total, 5,364 families or 18,722 individuals were temporarily taking shelter inside 26 evacuation centers in various Municipalities.
There are 408 families or 1,431 individuals who are staying with their friends and family relatives outside the evacuation centers.