Mayon has 2nd pyroclastic density current on Tuesday night

A collapse from the summit lava dome of Mayon Volcano resulted in a second small-volume pyroclastic density current on Tuesday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has said.

According to the PHIVOLCS, there had been 63 PDCs and 3,428 rockfall events as of 7 p.m. on June 20 since June 1.

The agency said there was no PDC for much of the day, indicating a short-term easing of the lava effusion from the summit crater.

As of 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Mayon Volcano’s “very slow” effusion of lava along the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (southeast) gullies continued over the past 24 hours, reaching 2.5 kilometers and 1.8 kilometers, respectively.

Lava collapse on both gullies also hit up to 3.3 kilometers from the crater.

There were 301 rockfall events, two pyroclastic density current events, and one volcanic earthquake recorded in the active volcano in Albay.

Mayon Volcano is under Alert Level 3 due to its “intensified unrest” or magmatic unrest.

39K people affected

Over 39,000 individuals or 10,167 families residing in 26 barangays, meanwhile, have been affected by Mayon Volcano’s unrest, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday.

Of them, 18,904 people or 5,466 families were staying in 28 evacuation centers in the Bicol Region, while 1,305 people or 373 families were seeking temporary shelters outside of evacuation centers.

There were 628 individuals who were reportedly injured due to the volcano’s activities, subject for validation.

The NDRRMC said P70.8 million worth of assistance has been provided in the Bicol Region.

One of the evacuees reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and has been transferred to a separate infirmary. His 30 close contacts have been given RT-PCR tests and have been isolated.

Authorities said the patient was from Barangay Matnog in Daraga town and was evacuated to Gabawan Elementary School.

The NDRRMC on Monday said that more than 600 residents affected by the Mayon Volcano unrest have sought medical consultations while staying at evacuation centers.

According to the NDRRMC, the top ten leading causes for the 628 consultations led by the Department of Health (DOH) are coughs and colds, fever, acute respiratory infection, and headache.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said that the government has prepositioned more than P1.3 billion worth of assistance for affected families.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week also said that the government has enough budget to provide further support for the families affected by Mayon Volcano's recent activities.

Marcos also said that he found "satisfactory" the measures being implemented amid the continued unrest of Mayon Volcano. He also lauded the coordination between the national government agencies and the local government units.

He has also directed authorities to ensure that the education of evacuated children would continue.

PHIVOLCS, meanwhile, reminded the public that entry into the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone and flying aircraft close to Mayon Volcano remain prohibited.

The agency also reiterated that Mayon Volcano may cause hazards such as rockfalls, landslides, or avalanches; ballistic fragments, lava flows and lava fountaining; pyroclastic density currents; moderate-sized explosions; and lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall. —NB, GMA Integrated News