Mayon’s lahar flow well-contained in river channel —PHIVOLCS

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the lahar flowing from Mayon Volcano, which was triggered by the continuous heavy rainfall in Albay over the weekend is well-contained in to Binaan river channel.

In a report on Unang Balita by Saleema Refran on Monday, the Binaan channel in Barangay Budiao, Daraga was brought back to life after lahar and sediment-laden streamflows traveled down from Mayon.

"Yung nakita po nating deposito ay nasa loob lamang ng ilog at ito ay well-contained. Ibig sabihin po nito hindi pa po sapat yung sidhi ng ulan kahapon na naranasan dito sa Albay para lumikha ng tunay na malalaking lahar," PHIVOLCS Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Department chief Maria Antonia Bornas said.

"Dahil may lava flow na bumara doon sa unahan, 'yung debris flow ay dumaan sa isang maliit na ilog kahapon at ito yung dinadaanan ngayon sa kasalukuyan ng malabnaw na lahar kasi tuluy-tuloy ang pag-ulan," PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Renato Solidum Jr. said.

PANOORIN: Pagragasa ng Lahar sa Binaan Channel Barangay Budiao, Daraga, Albay nakunan ng mga tauhan ng @phivolcs_dost sa kasagsagan ng malakas na ulan @dzbb pic.twitter.com/I8XrVqLoSB

— Allan Gatus (@allangatus) January 29, 2018

Danny Garcia, spokesman for Albay province, said that if rainfall persists, the local government will evacuate residents staying near flood-prone areas and river banks.

At least 89,000 residents have already evacuated in Albay, with 4,000 evacuees crowded in only 41 classrooms in Bagumbayan Central Elementary School. This then led to evacuees suffering from common illnesses caused by congestion and sanitation issues.

Alert Level 4 remains hoisted over Mayon Volcano as four episodes of sporadic lava fountaining from the summit crater were recorded by PHIVOLCS at around 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/ALG, GMA News