Alert level at Mayon downgraded

LEGAZPI CITY — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has downgraded the alert level at Mayon Volcano from two to one due to a marked decline in its restiveness following a steam-driven or phreatic explosion last Feb. 21.

Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident volcanologist, said the downgrade in Mayon’s alert status was the result of seven weeks of continuing decline in the volcano’s unrest.

Phivolcs raised alert level 2 on Oct. 11, 2003.

Laguerta said the number of earthquakes has dropped while the sulfur ash emission has reached less than 500 tons a day.

He added that a ground deformation survey conducted from Feb. 26 to March 11 showed a marked deflation of Mayon’s edifice, indicating the absence of an active magma ascent.