Mayon restive anew; three volcanic quakes recorded

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines –  Mayon Volcano’s high level of unrest resumed as seismic sensors recorded three volcanic quakes related to rising magma and increasing rockfall incidents in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported yesterday.

Phivolcs-Bicol chief volcanologist Ed Laguerta said 13 incidents of rolling rocks were observed, compared to eight cases earlier.

Laguerta said a team from the Phivolcs central office is conducting a survey on the eastern slope of the volcano facing Tabaco City and sulfur dioxide measurement was recorded at 1,290 tons for the past three days, which could indicate that the magma is slowly rising.

“The high sulfur gas reading shows the magma is still active,” said Laguerta during the regular press briefing at the Albay Provincial Security and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) in front of Peñaranda Park here yesterday morning.

Laguerta clarified that the slowdown of the magma was only apparent after lava discharge peaked last Sept. 17-18 and apparently relieved the pressure at the volcano’s summit.

The declining pressure also depressurizes the new magma deep in the vent, resulting in the separation of gas from melt and starting the repressurization process.

The apparent slowdown is part of the eruption cycle common to strato volcanoes like Mayon, which starts with lava dome formation and results in a volcanic eruption.

Laguerta said he is worried about the low level of steam coming out.

Weak to moderate emission of white steam plumes drifting northeast and north-northeast was observed.

He said this is unusual for Mayon after almost two days of heavy rain at the summit, as experts were expecting more steam to come out.

“Are we going to downgrade the present alert level? No. We will maintain the present alert level 3,” said Laguerta.

Crater glow also stopped after heavy rains spawned by Tropical Storm Mario quenched the hot gas at the upper portion of the dome.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda welcomed yesterday the visit of Alexander Pama, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), who arrived in Albay on Sunday morning to inspect preparations being done by Albay PDRRMC and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for an imminent eruption.

The officials inspected various evacuation centers in Camalig and Guinobatan towns.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and Team Army Albay installed a water purification station that could provide free and clean drinking water to the evacuees inside the evacuation center at the Travesia Elementary School that houses more than 800 residents from Barangay Tandarora in Guinobatan, Albay.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., Southern Luzon Command head Lt. General Ricardo Visaya and Army 9th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Yerson Depayso accompanied the NDRRMC officials.

Salceda said he received P39 million to purchase rice to feed 41,900 evacuees for 17 days.

He said they also distributed P6.6 million worth of starter kits from the Office of Civil Defense and the Department of Health.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Apsemo, said that the continuing influx of residents to evacuation centers is a welcome development, as this would make the province even more prepared should alert level 4 be raised anytime.

“This advanced evacuation scheme is a positive development for us in order to attain our goal of zero casualty should Mayon indeed proceed to a full-blown eruption,” Daep told The STAR.

Daep said that the province is very tolerant in allowing residents to stay in the evacuation centers if they feel uncomfortable and unsafe due to an impending eruption.

“This is the reason why oftentimes the actual evacuees exceed what we are targeting based on our hazard mapping,” Daep explained.

Salceda had warned residents not to venture inside the permanent danger zone and the extended zones as the crater of Mayon is now leveled by the lava dome at the summit.

The governor also thanked the BDO Foundation BDO-BBG Region 6 represented by Mer Siles Salamea, BDO Daraga family headed by Myra Montallana and BDO employees in coordination with Guinobatan Mayor Jemma Ongjoco for the assistance to evacuees from Muladbucad Grande and Muladbucad Pequeño.

Salceda said three trucks loaded with 120 classroom tents from United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) arrived last Sunday evening for the evcauees.