Mayon Volcano alert status down to Level 2

The alert status in Mayon Volcano has been lowered to Alert Level 2 due to a general decline in unrest, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said Friday.

“PHIVOLCS is lowering the Alert Level of Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 3 (tendency towards a hazardous eruption) to Alert Level 2 (moderate level of unrest),” it said in its 8 a.m. bulletin.

However, PHIVOLCS noted that the downgrade of status does not mean that the Mayon Volcano’s unrest has already ceased.

The edifice of the volcano is still inflated and SO2 emission remains high relative to baseline levels, according to PHIVOLCS.

Alert Level 3 was raised in Mayon Volcano back in June.

PHIVOLCS still advised the public to be vigilant and avoid entering the six-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).

In case of ash fall events, affected residents are advised to cover their nose and mouth with damp and clean cloth or dust mask. 

Due to the large amounts of volcanic materials deposited by the recent eruption, heavy rainfall could lead to channel-confined lahars and sediment-laden streamflows.

Flying close to the volcano’s summit is prohibited as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.

Blue alert

Following the downgrading of the alert level in Mayon Volcano, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday said it is lowering its emergency alert status in the Bicol Region to blue alert.

"A blue alert status in the agency means half of its manpower is on standby for heightened monitoring on the matter," the OCD said in a statement. 

The OCD, however, still advised Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices to continue monitoring activities on the Mayon Volcano as it remains inflated with high sulfur dioxide emissions.

A plan is already established to decamp as early as Friday the 52 families consisting of 195 individuals inside a government-funded evacuation center in Camalig town, the OCD said.

"The agency is coordinating with local officials in Camalig regarding this," it added. —Joviland Rita and Jiselle Anne Casucian/VAL/KBK, GMA Integrated News