Mayon spews lava anew

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Mayon Volcano has spewed lava anew, which was accompanied by a series of volcanic earthquakes and tremors, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported yesterday.

From zero in the past two days, Phivolcs recorded 187 volcanic earthquakes, 179 volcanic tremors that lasted up to 12 minutes, 175 rockfall events, four pyroclastic density currents and 1,539 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions in the past 24 hours.

“Volcanic earthquakes, tremors and rockfall events are triggered by the incessant ascent of magma to the surface of Mayon,” Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory in this city, said.

Welling of lava from major gullies appeared like a display of firecrackers rolling down the slopes of Mayon.

Phivolcs data showed that Mayon’s high level of unrest has been monitored since Oct. 24.

Alanis said lava flows remained at 3.4 kilometers in Bonga gully in Legazpi City, 2.8 kms in the Mi-isi gully in Daraga and 1.1 kms in Basud gully in Sto. Domingo.

Collapsed debris from the lava dome has reached four kilometers from the crater of the volcano.

Mayon remains under Alert Level 3.