More quakes, lava spews from Mayon

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — State volcanologists are seeing a longer eruption episode from Mayon Volcano after they recorded volcanic earthquakes lasting more than four hours and thicker lava spews in the past 24 hours.

The quakes triggered and sped up the release of lava last night than in the previous observation periods, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory in this city, said the lava spews were larger and thicker.

The resurgence of more tremors and volcanic earthquakes is likely to prolong Mayon’s abnormal condition, Alanis said.

“These revived abnormal parameters are likely to extend the more than four-month eruption activities of Mayon. This volcano is really very unpredictable,” Alanis said.

He said the longer tremors indicated faster ascent of fresh magma to the surface as massive magmatic degassing activities continue inside Mayon.