Mayon alert level downgraded to alert level 3

[oaba09]

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regio ... on-volcano

Lava flows from Mayon Volcano
Evacuation ordered after Phivolcs raises alert to 3

MANILA, Philippines - The provincial government of Albay on Monday evening said they will implement mandatory evacuations at the 6-8 kilometer danger zone around Mayon Volcano, after the state geological agency Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the volcano's alert level to 3.

Since Monday morning, the Phivolcs has recorded six small ash explosions from the volcano, and at around 6 p.m. lava started flowing out of the crater.

Alert Level 3 was raised by the geological agency at around 8 p.m.

Jaime Sincioco, officer-in-charge of the Phivolcs' Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, said that this means magma is now near the top of the crater and incandescent materials are now detaching.

In an interview with dzMM Monday evening, Phivolcs director Dr. Renato Solidum said Mayon Volcano is now at a "high level of unrest."

At Alert Level 3, he said Mayon Volcano may soon have more dangerous explosions.

He said they will be monitoring whether Mayon Volcano will have lava flowing slowly or strong explosions and pyroclastic flows.

Likewise, at Alert Level 3, he said the provincial government will have to evacuate households in areas under threat.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda announced the mandatory evacuations for the 6-8 kilometer danger zone starting Tuesday morning.

The danger zone covers parts of the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao, and the towns of Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Santo Domingo, Bacacay, and Malilipot.

Classes in schools within the danger zone will also be suspended.

Evacuations set

As of Monday evening, residents within the danger zone are preparing for evacuation.

In Legazpi City alone, around 3,000 families will be evacuated.

Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal said that they are mobilizing the city's disaster coordinating council to prepare all needed equipment and supplies for the evacuation efforts.

Salceda, in an interview with TV Patrol World, said that around 9,000 families will be evacuated from the danger zone.

The Phivolcs is monitoring the volcano round the clock, and a technical team will be sent to the city for additional manpower at the Legazpi Observatory in Lignon Hill.

Since September this year, several ash explosions by the volcano have been recorded by scientists.

Mayon's unrest, eruptions

The last lava flows by the volcano, meanwhile, were last recorded between July and August 2006.

Under Mayon Volcano's alert levels, level 3 means "increased tendency towards eruption," and if unrest increases, hazardous eruption is possible within weeks.

The next level, alert level 4, means hazardous eruption is imminent or possible within days.

The highest level, alert level 5, means hazardous eruption is ongoing.

According to Phivolcs, Mayon Volcano's most destructive eruption was in February 1, 1814 when 1,200 people died after large parts of Albay, including Cagsawa Church, were buried by lava.

In June-July 1897, 350 people died due to pyroclastic flows after another destructive eurption of Mayon Volcano that lasted 17 hours. -- With reports from Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN Legazpi, and Jam Alindogan, ABS-CBN News in Manila

[cycloneye]

Impressive image of the lava going down the slope.

[brunota2003]

Those are the type of eruptions I love seeing...produces beautiful, photographic lava flows, while not being so deadly. Looking at the shape of the volcano though, it looks like a cindercone...so I would not be surprised to see a pyroclastic flow coming from it in the future.

[oaba09]

Right now, mayon is the most active volcano in the country...it's such a beauty w/ such a perfect shape...it is however a very deadly volcano considering the fact that it killed thousands in the past....

[oaba09]

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/179490/mayo ... t-disaster

Mayon activity puts Albay under state of imminent disaster


The raising of the alert level to 3 over Mayon Volcano has prompted Albay Governor Jose Salceda to declare a state of imminent disaster over the province.

Radio dzBB reported early Wednesday that the declaration would allow the provincial government to access calamity funds to evacuate residents in the volcano’s danger zones.

A report by dzBB’s Allan Gatus early Wednesday said the provincial government has set up evacuation centers to accommodate the displaced families.

Disaster management officials had prepared to evacuate some 9,946 families or 47,000 people from Tabaco City and from the towns of Malipot, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan and Ligao.

As of Wednesday morning, authorities have so far evacuated some 4,898 families or 22,900 people, the report said, adding that evacuation of people living within the eight-kilometer radius from the volcano is still going on.

On Tuesday, the United States government advised its citizens to stay away from Mayon Volcano in Albay province, after state volcanologists placed it under Alert Level 3.

The US Embassy said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) had warned of increasing volcanic activity.

It advised its nationals to monitor the Phivolcs and United States Geological Service websites at phivolcs.dost.gov.ph and volcanoes.usgs.gov.

According to Phivolcs, “Alert level 3 condition signifies magma is near the top of the crater and incandescent materials are now detaching. Mayon volcano is now at a ‘high level of unrest’ and may have more dangerous explosions," it said. - LBG, GMANews.TV

[oaba09]

Mayon volcano in minor eruption, spews ash
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingne ... -spews-ash

By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:05:00 12/16/2009

Filed Under: Volcanic eruption, Disasters & Accidents, Disasters (general)


MANILA, Philippines – Mayon Volcano experienced a minor eruption Wednesday, spewing ash reaching up to 500 meters, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In a telephone interview, Phivolcs Science Research Specialist Paul Alanis said that the minor eruption was recorded at around 10:16 a.m.

At least 78 volcanic earthquakes were also recorded in the last 24 hours, Alanis said.

Volcanic earthquakes are normal with the Mayon Volcano even when there is no alert level raised but only five minor quakes are recorded on the average, Alanis said.

"Ibig sabihin, talagang active ang bulkan ngayon [This means that the volcano is really active]," Alanis said.

Alert level 3 remains over Albay province, but Phivolcs may raise it to alert level 5 depending on volcanic activities like increased siesmic activity, increased emissions of sulfur dioxide, swelling of the volcano and other physical manifestations indicating a bigger eruption, Alanis said.

He added that if Mayon continues to emit lava and pyroclastic material, it was possible within the next few weeks that the volcano may have a hazardous eruption similar to the explosions in 1993, 2001, and 2006.

If a bigger eruption will occur, pyroclastic material may most likely flow down the volcano’s southeast side headed towards the general direction of Legazpi City.

Meanwhile, Phivolcs has recommended the evacuation of residents of municipalities and towns near the volcano.

[HurricaneBill]

Right now, mayon is the most active volcano in the country...it's such a beauty w/ such a perfect shape...it is however a very deadly volcano considering the fact that it killed thousands in the past....

Including the lahars after Super Typhoon Durian in 2006.

[HurricaneBill]

Those are the type of eruptions I love seeing...produces beautiful, photographic lava flows, while not being so deadly. Looking at the shape of the volcano though, it looks like a cindercone...so I would not be surprised to see a pyroclastic flow coming from it in the future.

Actually, Mayon is a composite volcano (better known as a stratovolcano).

[brunota2003]

Ah...I was guessing by the shape (even though that isn't the best picture in the world to judge by!). I know this much, it isn't a shield!

[oaba09]

It seems like it's only a matter of days...
PHIVOLCS are saying that a major erruption is pretty much imminent...

[oaba09]

Mayon alert level raised to 4; eruption seen within days
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/179840/mayo ... ithin-days

State volcanologists on Sunday afternoon raised the alert status of Mayon Volcano in Albay province, Bicol to 4 after noting rumbling sounds in Sto. Domingo town, saying a major eruption is possible within days.

"This is to notify the public that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is now raising the alert status of Mayon Volcano from alert level 3 to alert level 4. This means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days," the agency said on its Web site at 2:30 p.m.

To ensure public safety, Phivolcs said it was recommending an extended danger zone from the summit of 8 kilometers at the southern sector and 7 kilometers at the northern sector.

"Areas just outside of this extended danger zone should prepare for evacuation in the event explosive eruptions intensify," it added.

Radio dzBB's Allan Gatus earlier reported that Phivolcs Bicol-based monitoring head Julio Sabit had cited rumbling sounds heard in Santa Misericordia village in Santo Domingo town.

Sabit also said Phivolcs had monitored at least 463 quakes from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

He said the danger zone, which stands at a maximum of 8 km, might be expanded to 10 km.

Alert Level 4 means a "hazardous eruption" is imminent. Phivolcs characterizes this as intense unrest.

It said characteristics of Alert Level 4 include persistent tremors and many low frequency earthquakes, and a sustained increase or abrupt decrease in sulfur dioxide emission levels.

Other signs include intense crater glow, and incandescent lava fragments in the summit area.

Alert Level 4 also means hazardous eruption is possible within days.

Phivolcs' last bulletin on Mayon indicated 222 volcanic quakes and tremors recorded by the seismic network in the last 24 hours as of 7 a.m. on Sunday.

The advancing lava flow has now reached about 4.5 kilometers down the slope from the crater along Bonga-Buyuan Gully, it added.

Also, sulfur dioxide emissions increased to 7,024 from 2,034 tons per day.

As of Saturday, about 8,442 families or 40,093 persons have been evacuated since Monday last week from Camalig, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Ligao and Guinobatan towns and from the cities of Legazpi and Tabaco.

Past eruptions
Phivolcs’ website on Mayon eruptions said the volcano has had at least 40 eruptions since February 1616.

The most destructive eruption occurred on Feb. 1, 1814, when pyroclastic flows, volcanic lightning and lahar affected Camalig, Cagsawa, Budiao, Guinobatan and half of Albay. At least 1,200 persons died.

The second most destructive eruption was from June 4 to July 23, 1897 as pyroclastic and lava flows, lahar and volcanic lightning killed 350 persons.

On July 20-24, 1766, pyroclastic and lava flows destroyed Malinao and damaged Cagsawa, Guinobatan, Budiao, Polangui and Ligao. There were 39 casualties.

On July 7, 1853, 34 died as ash, pyroclastic flow and lahar affected Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Oas, Polangui, Malilipot, Bacacay and Cagsawa.

Meanwhile, from Feb. 2 to April 4, 1993, pyroclastic and lava flows killed 77 and injured five.

Mayon erupted again from July to October 2006. In August 2006, the government ordered the evacuation of people living near the volcano.

On Oct. 3, 2006, Phivolcs downgraded the threat level to alert level 2. Twenty-two days later, it downgraded the status to alert level 1.

But on Nov. 30 of that year, typhoon Durian caused mudslides of volcanic ash and boulders from the slopes of Mayon Volcano, burying at least a thousand. — LBG/NPA, GMANews.TV

[oaba09]

Here is a chart indicating the criteria of each alert level in the Philippines as determined by PHIVOLCS...

[StormingB81]

Geez!! Typhoons are done now Volcanos want to erupt. I guys you guys can't wait 2 more weeks when this year is over with! Good luck to whoever is in its path!

[oaba09]

I'm just hoping that it won't be as big as the Mt. Pinatubo eruption before if ever it decides to erupt....

[brunota2003]

they have a Harmonic tremor as level 2? Shouldn't that be like...the final "get the hell out of here" sign?

[oaba09]

alert level downgraded to alert level 3...It looks like mayon is calming down