The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is considering the possibility of raising the alert level of Mayon Volcano from 3 to 4.
“There is always the possibility na itaas natin ‘to to alert level 4,” Philvolcs OIC Director Teresito Bacolcol said during a press briefing.
On June 8, Mayon Volcano was placed under alert level 3 due to increased unrest, with the presence of magma in the crater and the potential for hazardous eruptions within weeks or even days.
Phivolcs has advised the evacuation of residents within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone due to various volcanic hazards, including pyroclastic density currents, lava flows, and rockfalls, following the elevation of Mayon Volcano's alert level to 3.
Bacolcol highlighted several significant factors considered in the decision to raise the alert level to 4, including sulfur dioxide emissions, seismic activity, volcanic deformation, occurrence of lava flows and fountaining, and frequency of pyroclastic density currents.
“We are looking at the increase in sulfur dioxide, the presence of long lava flows, lava fountaining, the presence of many volcanic earthquakes, swelling of the edifice of the volcano, and occurrence of minor explosions,” Bacolcol said, “So far, we have not seen those.”
The province of Albay has earlier declared a state of calamity in response to the unrest of the Mayon volcano.
