Heavy rains trigger rush of muddy water in Mayon

MANILA — Heavy rainfall brought by the tail-end of a cold front lashing the area near Mayon Volcano in Albay generated mudflows.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Sunday that the rainfall on Saturday resulted in “sediment-laded streamflows in channel draining the Mayon Volcano’s edifice.”

Phivolcs on Saturday warned that the lava, ashfall and other pyroclastic density current materials spewed by the country’s most active volcano for the last two weeks could turn into lahar if the heavy rains continue. Lahar is a mudflow carrying volcanic debris such as ash, rocks and sand.

Phivolcs noted that lahars could sweep away entire settlements. The volcanology institute added that lahar and sediment-laden streamflows are possible “on all river channels draining the slopes of Mayon Volcano” especially in the villages of Buyuan, Missi, Mabinit, Basud, San Vicente, Buang, Quirangay and MasarawagManinila.

The Philippine Atmospheric,Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on Sunday said that cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Bicol Region, which might cause possible flashfloods or landslides.

The institute earlier said that 25 million cubic meters (about 883 million cubic feet) of ash and other volcanic material had recently been emitted by Mayon, settling on its slopes and elsewhere nearby.

Residents are advised to be more vigilant and move to higher ground when heavy rains occur.

An explosion of the Mayon in August 2006 did not directly kill anyone but four months later, a typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from its slopes that claimed 1,000 lives.

Mayon also had two episodes of sporadic lava fountaining from Saturday morning to Sunday dawn lasting up to 55 minutes.