Article by Arabella Balderama

On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) placed Mayon Volcano under Alert Level 3 due to “potential explosive activity happening within days or weeks.”

According to PHIVOLCS, the volcano had been “exhibiting magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with increased chances of lava flows and hazardous pyroclastic density currents (PDC),” which affected its upper to middle slopes.

The volcano’s alert level rose as a result of the repeated collapse of its growing summit dome, which increased the number and volume of rockfalls since Mayon was placed under Alert Level 2 last Monday, June 5.

Three PDC events lasting four to five minutes occurred in Bonga and Basud Gullies at 6:18 A.M., 9:53 A.M., and 11:00 A.M., as reported by PHIVOLCS.

Aside from these, Miladee Azur, the head of the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said that ash fall was noticed by residents in the villages of Cruzada, Bao, and other nearby communities.

Paul Karson Alanis, a volcanologist at PHIVOLCS-Legazpi, observed the ash fall, saying that the wind carried the ash south of the volcano, facing the city and the towns of Daraga and Camalig.

With these occurrences, PHIVOLCS recommended that authorities evacuate residents within Mayon’s six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone in Albay, Bicol.

Toto Bacolcol, PHIVOLCS Officer-in-Charge, also advised the public to refrain from entering the area due to possible “PDC, lava flows, rock falls, and other volcanic hazards.” 

Volcanic activities also monitored in Taal

Meanwhile, PHIVOLCS has also been observing the recent activity in Taal Volcano, which is currently under Alert Level 1.

The volcano located in Batangas has been emitting sulfur dioxide which has increased from around 5,000 tons to over 9,000 tons.   

In an advisory, PHIVOLCS said that the increase of degassing activities produced volcanic smog or “vog” over Taal Caldera, as locals from Batangas municipalities Balete, Laurel, and Agoncillo had reported.

The PHIVOLCS reiterated that locals should avoid outdoor activities as the vog consists of sulfur dioxide, which may irritate the eyes, throat, and respiratory tract.

Thumbnail from The Philippine Daily Inquirer