Mayon continues to spew ash; Alert Level 3 maintained

By Rhaydz Barcia and Jordan Kurt Domingo

LEGAZPI CITY --- Mayon Volcano in Albay continued to show signs of unrest, spewing an ash plume that rose 1,600 meters above its summit on Tuesday morning, as authorities maintained heightened precautions following the volcano’s moderately explosive eruption on October 30.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the latest ash emission occurred from 8:22 a.m. to 8:25 a.m., with the plume drifting southwest, as recorded by cameras at the Mayon Volcano Observatory in Ligñon Hill and the Ligao Observation Station.

The latest activity came as Albay authorities continued implementing precautionary measures for communities within Mayon’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ), following the elevation of the volcano’s alert status from Level 2 to Level 3 last Friday.

Mayon registered 13 volcanic earthquakes and one episode of minor Strombolian activity during the 24-hour monitoring period from midnight Monday to midnight Tuesday, according to PHIVOLCS.

The volcano also emitted 1,930 metric tons of sulfur dioxide on Monday, slightly lower than the 2,032 metric tons recorded on Sunday.

Under Alert Level 3, which indicates intensified volcanic unrest and the possibility of hazardous eruptions, entry into the six-kilometer-radius PDZ remains strictly prohibited. Aircraft are likewise warned against flying close to the volcano because of the risks posed by sudden eruptions and volcanic ash.

PHIVOLCS reiterated its warning against potential volcanic hazards, including rockfalls, ballistic fragments, lava flows, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), moderate-sized explosions and lahars that could threaten communities around the volcano.

The agency has also warned of the possibility of lava flows and hazardous PDCs affecting Mayon’s upper to middle slopes in the coming days to weeks as the volcano enters a new phase of magmatic eruption.

The October 30 eruption, described by PHIVOLCS Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief Mariton Bornas as a short-lived, moderately explosive Vulcanian-type event, lasted approximately six minutes and generated a dense ash plume that rose about 3,000 meters above the summit crater.

The explosion prompted Albay Gov. Noel Rosal to order the evacuation of more than 1,000 families living within the danger zone and suspend classes at all levels in public and private schools across the province.

During the eruption, some farmers harvesting vegetables on Mayon’s slopes were forced to flee, leaving their produce behind. Authorities also initiated evacuation operations in affected communities, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol prepared food and drinking water assistance for displaced residents.

Red Cross volunteers also assisted in evacuation operations and the establishment of safe spaces for children and women in evacuation centers.

With Mayon continuing to exhibit volcanic activity, PHIVOLCS urged residents to remain vigilant, follow official advisories and avoid entering restricted areas. It also reminded communities along channels draining the volcano to watch for possible lahars and sediment-laden stream-flows, particularly during rainfall.