Pyroclastic flow seen coming out of Mayon Volcano

An Intensity 5 crater glow was seen on Mayon Volcano on Monday morning, indicating that pyroclastic flows are sweeping down, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology research specialist Paul Alanis said on Dobol B sa News TV.

Alanis said that pyroclastic flow from previous eruptions have reached 500 meters from the crater as of Monday morning.

He said this is far from the edges of the six-kilometer permanent danger zone where settlements are located.

Alanis added that the pyroclastic flow merely fell from the volcano and spread hot ash and rocks.

PHIVOLCS director and Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Renato Solidum said in an interview on Unang Balita on Monday that the decision to raise the alert level to 3 on Mayon Volcano on Sunday was reached after they observed a third phreatic eruption, 141 rockfall events, and two volcanic earthquakes.

"Ibig sabihin po, 'pag intense na po at nakakita na po tayo ng mapulang materyal na bumababa ay meron na pong lava na lumalabas," Solidum explained.

"And most likely, ay nagkaron na rin ng filing out of lava o lava flow sa crater ng volcano, kaya lang natatakpan ng usok o 'di kaya clouds sa tuktok," he added.

Solidum said an additional one kilometer from the southern side of the volcano was recommended to be added to the danger zone as this was the direction the pyroclastic flow was taking.

Residents on the south side were advised to ready particle face masks to avoid inhaling ash as wind flows will bring ash there.

An explosive or hazardous eruption is possible at Alert Level 3, noting that the fast and thin pyroclastic flow compared to the thick and slow flow from 2014 indicated an increased tendency for a hazardous eruption.

"Most likely, merong mas mapanganib na activity ang pwede pa nating makita sa Mayon Volcano other than 'yung nangyayari sa kasalukuyan na paglabas lang ng dahan-dahan ng lava," Solidum said.

The theft of several monitoring equipment around Mount Mayon affected one earthquake-monitoring station but this has been compensated by other earthquake-monitoring stations.

"Meron rin po tayong mga panukat kung gaano kamaga o namamaga ba ang bulkan, gayundin sa mga gas. Ito naman po ay intact. Ang kalaban lang ng ating monitoring, siyempre 'pag masama ang panahon, at 'pag may bagyong dumaan, siyempre naapektuhan 'yung communications systems," Solidum said.

Apart from maintenance of PHIVOLCS systems, the agency will also continue to remind residents around the Mayon area to heed local government warnings and keep an eye on developments.

"Du'n po sa mga kababayan namin sa paligid ng Albay, obvious na po na may mangyayari sa Mayon at dapat po makinig kayo sa mga local government at mga recommendation para sa inyong kalusugan," Solidum said.

The alert level may be raised if PHIVOLCS detects more gas from the volcano and may necessitate more barangays to evacuate. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News