The Philippines’ Mayon Volcano has seen increased volcanic activity, registering 126 volcanic earthquakes and 179 rockfall events in the last 24 hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Monday. The volcano is still on Alert Level 3. Because of its symmetrical conical shape, this location is a renowned tourist destination in the Philippines. The Mayon Volcano is located in the Bicol area of Legazpi, Albay. Mt. Mayon is also known as “Bulkang Magayon” by the natives, which translates to “beautiful volcano.”
The latest PHIVOLCS advisory, issued at 5 a.m., stated that the observed volcanic earthquakes included 56 seismic episodes ranging in duration from one to 45 minutes. Some of the earthquakes were accompanied by loud rumbling sounds, which could be heard within a seven-kilometer radius of Mayon’s crater.
One pyroclastic density current and four lava front collapses were detected by the Mayon Volcano Network. The lava eruption from the summit crater is continuing at a slow but steady pace, expanding roughly 3.4 kilometers along the Bonga Gully (southeastern), 2.8 kilometers along the Mi-isi Gully (south), and 1.1 kilometers along the Basud Gully (eastern).
According to PHIVOLCS, the collapsing margins of the lava flow and summit dome have dumped debris within a four-kilometer radius of the crater.
On Sunday, August 13, Mayon’s sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 966 tonnes per day. A moderate plume rose to 1,500 meters and drifted in several directions, including southeast, west, southwest, and west-southwest.
Mayon Volcano remains at Alert Level 3 due to increased instability or magmatic unrest. A “hazardous eruption within weeks or even days” is possible, according to PHIVOLCS.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the continuous activities of Mayon Volcano have already touched more than 38,000 individuals or 9,000 families across 26 barangays in the Bicol Region. Local authorities and communities are on high alert for potential threats and evacuations as volcanic activity continues to be closely monitored.
