Mayon Volcano erupts early Wednesday, emits lava fountain

Mayon Volcano made a number of eruptions, spewing more lava and volcano ash early Wednesday.

A Super Radyo dzBB report by Allan Gatus said another lava fountaining event was recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) at past 6 a.m.

The report said the volcano also emitted a 3-kilometer ash column.

State volcanologists were still trying to determine the height and duration of the lava fountain.

In an Unang Balita interview, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum said another eruption was recorded at 2:30 a.m.

Based on PHIVOLCS' latest bulletin, the 2:30 a.m. event is one of the five episodes of “intense but sporadic” lava fountaining with five tremor events from the Mayon Volcano’s summit crater from 8:54 a.m. Tuesday to 3:57 a.m. Wednesday.

These events lasted seven minutes to one hour and 24 minutes, reached 500 to 600 meters high, and generated ash plumes that reached three to five kilometers above the crater, according to the bulletin.

Scientists also recorded three episodes of pyroclastic density current (PDC)-generation from lava collapses, as well as “numerous” rockfall events that were caused by collapsing front and margins of advancing lava flow and shedding from the summit dome, the bulletin said.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, lava flows at the Miisi and Buyuan Gullies have advanced three kilometers and two kilometers, respectively, while PDC runout on the Buyuan Channel now exceeds five kilometers from the summit crater.

Sulfur dioxide gas emission was measured at an average of 2466 tonnes/day on Wednesday, said the bulletin.

Strombolian

Solidum said the latest eruptions were accompanied by rumbling sounds. He said these eruptions were strombolian.

He said that during Mayon Volcano's heightened restiveness, lava fountaining is a regular occurrence. He added that there was still a possibility of an explosive eruption from the volcano. 

Meanwhile, the towns of Guinobatan, Oas and part of Camalig have been affected by ash fall produced by the latest eruptions.

PHIVOLCS also recorded a lava fountaining event which lasted from 5:50 p.m. to 6:14 p.m. on Tuedsay.

The lava fountain's height was estimated at 600 meters and it generated a three-kilometer high ash plume, the agency added.

The volcano was still under Alert Level 4, which means a hazardous eruption may happen in days.

As of noon Tuesday, nearly 40,000 people have been evacuated from areas inside the eight-kilometer radius danger zone. —Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/ALG, GMA News