Mayon Volcano lava flow reaches 1.5 km long –PHIVOLCS

The “very slow” effusion of lava from the Mayon Volcano’s summit dome has reached as far as 1.5 kilometers along the Mi-isi Gully, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Sunday.

As of 12 a.m., PHIVOLCS said the lava flows along the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (southeast) Gullies had advanced by 1.5 kilometers and 1 kilometers, respectively.

This marked the seventh consecutive day wherein Mayon Volcano in Albay had lava effusion.

Lava collapse on the Mi-isi and Bonga Gullies also extended to 3.3 kilometers from the crater.

Three volcanic earthquakes, 274 rockfall events, and 11 pyroclastic density current events were also recorded by PHIVOLCS in the past 24 hours.

Mayon Volcano also emitted 1,004 tonnes of sulfur dioxide on Saturday, and a moderate 100 meter-tall of plumes which drifted generally west.

Three months

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Mayon Volcano Observatory resident volcanologist Dr. Paul Alanis said that the current activities in the volcano may last up to three months, noting that no explosive eruption has happened so far.

“Sa ngayon, wala kaming indication na nagsasabi na dapat itaas sa ngayon ang alert level status ng Mayon Volcano, bagamat this could change at anytime depende sa aming mga obserbasyon at datos na nakukuha,” Alanis said.

(Right now, we have no indication that the alert level status of Mayon Volcano should be raised, although this could change at any time depending on our observations and obtained data.)

Mayon Volcano is currently under Alert Level 3 due to its “intensified unrest” or magmatic unrest. —KG, GMA Integrated News