Lava flows down as Mayon gears up for major eruption

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Lava was observed flowing down the slopes of Mayon Volcano, indicating a major eruption was imminent, a senior geologist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

“The release of lava (Sunday) means that magma is now at the upper slope as it already pushed the old lava outside the small opening at the right side of the lava dome. Mayon seems to be gearing up for a stronger eruption,” Phivolcs senior geologist Winchelle Sevilla told The STAR.

The lava flowed 350 meters down the eastern portion of the Bunga Gulley facing the Legazpi-Daraga area.

Sevilla said survey instruments set up in Lidong, Sto. Domingo on the eastern slope and in Buang, Tabaco City on the northern side of the volcano showed magma buildup.

Sevilla said that aside from the previously recorded 17 millimeters “inflation” on the crater, surface bulging continued by more than a millimeter yesterday.

“Should the magma push prevail over the force of the blocking lava dome,” a “big explosion” is likely to follow, Sevilla said.

Phivolcs recorded two volcanic earthquakes and 420 tons of emitted sulfur dioxide in the past 24 hours.

“This means that the magma push is very slow due to its being viscous or sticky that its movement could hardly be detected by seismographs,” Sevilla said.

Meanwhile, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that the provincial government would be giving half a sack of rice to each of the 17,000 displaced families.

“This one-time aid is our recognition of their cooperation with the government in our effort to achieve zero casualty,” Salceda said.

Salceda also said that he had already ordered Army soldiers guarding entry points to the six-kilometer permanent danger zone around Mayon to cut off supply of electricity in the area.

“In the first place, they should no longer stay in these areas long declared as permanent danger zone,” he stressed, referring to residents who may have remained in their houses in the danger zone.

He also said that psychosocial services would continue at evacuation centers.

Situation well-managed

Salceda said despite this development, the situation in areas affected by the imminent eruption of Mayon is well-managed.

He said all 83 schools resumed classes, 10 days after their campuses were turned into evacuation centers.

“It’s a record in Philippine disaster history, with 90 percent school attendance, higher than those outside the camps,” he said.   

Peace and order has also been better, with not a single crime committed since evacuation on Sept. 15, based on PNP Albay Provincial Office report from seven local government units hosting 45 evacuation centers.

In health, Salceda said evacuees have lower morbidity than when they were in the danger zones.

“Both morbidity and mortality (non-disaster related) rates among the evacuees were even lower than the general population outside the camps,” he said.

Currently, morbidity is controlled at 1.1 percent, better than the rate outside or even the country’s entire population, he added.                 

Since the emergency started, Team Albay members have worked in shifts 24 hours a day in centers to make life for the displaced families as normal as possible.