Mayon’s abnormal activity continues

MANILA, Philippines - Albay’s Mt. Mayon continued to show signs of restiveness as more earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported yesterday.

Nineteen volcanic earthquakes, from zero last Saturday, were detected around Mayon during the past 24-hour observation period, Phivolcs said.

The agency recorded two rock fall events and moderate emission of white steam plumes that drifted west-northwest.

Phivolcs maintained the volcano’s status at alert level 3, which means that “potentially eruptible magma has been intruded and continues to be intruded beneath the edifice.”

“In the following weeks to months, this magma can erupt quietly as lava flow or explosively as vertical eruption columns and pyroclastic flow or both,” Phivolcs said.

More than 12,000 families were evacuated from Mayon’s danger zone since Phivolcs raised alert level 3 in September.

Residents living within the extended danger zone were temporarily allowed to return home after the agency recorded a drop in the volcanic activity.

Phivolcs continued to warn the public against entering the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone around the volcano and in the seven-km extended danger zone  on the southeastern flank due to rock falls, landslides and explosions or dome collapse.