Mayon remains restive, dangerous – Phivolcs

Mayon Volcano in Albay remains restive, recording 108 volcanic earthquakes, most of which resulted in lava fountains in the past 24 hours.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) observed sporadic and weak lava fountaining, lava flow and degassing from the volcano’s summit since Saturday.

The duration of the lava fountains, however, lasted from four to seven minutes, shorter compared to previous days.

Lava fountains are still accompanied by rumbling sounds audible 10 kilometers from the crater.

Phivolcs also observed that incandescent lava fountains 400 meters tall generated steam-laden plumes that rose up to 800 meters from the summit before drifting southwest, west southwest, north northwest and northwest.

Throughout Saturday evening, lava flows and consequent incandescent rockfalls were observed in the Miisi and Bonga-Buyuan channels, while effused volumes of incandescent lava flows have advanced to 3.3 kilometers, 4.5 kilometers and 900 meters down the Miisi, Bonga and Basud gullies, respectively, from the summit crater.

Pyroclastic density currents or pyroclastic flows have deposited to the 4.6, 4.5 and 4.2 kilometer reaches of the Miisi, Bonga and Basud gullies, respectively.

Phivolcs pointed out that there is still a sustained swelling or inflation of the edifice since October and November, 2017, consistent with pressurization by magmatic intrusion.

Phivolcs advises the public to be vigilant and desist from entering the eight-kilometer-radius danger zone.

It likewise advised civil aviation authorities to warn pilots from flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.

Mayon volcano remains under alert level 4 due to imminent hazardous eruption.