REGIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Alert Level 3 Raised For Mayon Volcano
Photo credit: Nehemiah Manzanilla Sitiar
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), announced that Mayon Volcano is at Alert Level 3.
Since the previous alert level rise from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 2 on June 5, 2023, Mayon Volcano has shown escalating signs of unrest. It said that the growing summit dome experienced repeated collapses, resulting in an increased number and volume of rockfall events.
PHIVOLCS recorded a total of 267 rockfall events from June 5 to 8 including two volcanic earthquakes, as compared to 54 rockfall events from June 1 to 4. It said that these rockfall events lasted from one to three minutes and dispersed lava debris within a kilometer range of the southern upper slopes.
Based on seismic records, the volume of discrete rockfall events started to rise on 3 June, indicating an acceleration in the rate of dome growth. Additionally, three pyroclastic density current (PDC) events were observed today at 6:18 AM, 9:53 AM, and 11:00 AM, occurring in the Bonga (southeast) and Basud (east) Gullies. The PDCs lasted four to five minutes, reaching an area within a kilometer of the summit crater. However, sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions remain at baseline or background levels.
Continuous GPS, electronic tilt, and EDM monitoring have shown persistent inflation of the southeastern middle and upper slopes of Mayon Volcano since February 2023. These ground deformation data suggest that a slow extrusion of shallow degassed magma is ongoing and gradually increasing in rate, indicating an effusive magmatic eruption.
This signifies that the volcano is undergoing a magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with an increased likelihood of lava flows and hazardous PDCs affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano. There is also a possibility of potential explosive activity within weeks or even days.
To ensure public safety, it is strongly recommended that the 6-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) be evacuated immediately. This is due to the potential dangers posed by PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards.
DOST-PHIVOLCS will continue to closely monitor Mayon Volcano, and any further developments will be promptly communicated to all concerned stakeholders.
Since the previous alert level rise from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 2 on June 5, 2023, Mayon Volcano has shown escalating signs of unrest. It said that the growing summit dome experienced repeated collapses, resulting in an increased number and volume of rockfall events.
PHIVOLCS recorded a total of 267 rockfall events from June 5 to 8 including two volcanic earthquakes, as compared to 54 rockfall events from June 1 to 4. It said that these rockfall events lasted from one to three minutes and dispersed lava debris within a kilometer range of the southern upper slopes.
Based on seismic records, the volume of discrete rockfall events started to rise on 3 June, indicating an acceleration in the rate of dome growth. Additionally, three pyroclastic density current (PDC) events were observed today at 6:18 AM, 9:53 AM, and 11:00 AM, occurring in the Bonga (southeast) and Basud (east) Gullies. The PDCs lasted four to five minutes, reaching an area within a kilometer of the summit crater. However, sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions remain at baseline or background levels.
Continuous GPS, electronic tilt, and EDM monitoring have shown persistent inflation of the southeastern middle and upper slopes of Mayon Volcano since February 2023. These ground deformation data suggest that a slow extrusion of shallow degassed magma is ongoing and gradually increasing in rate, indicating an effusive magmatic eruption.
This signifies that the volcano is undergoing a magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with an increased likelihood of lava flows and hazardous PDCs affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano. There is also a possibility of potential explosive activity within weeks or even days.
To ensure public safety, it is strongly recommended that the 6-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) be evacuated immediately. This is due to the potential dangers posed by PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards.
DOST-PHIVOLCS will continue to closely monitor Mayon Volcano, and any further developments will be promptly communicated to all concerned stakeholders.
Jun 8, 2023
