Mayon Volcano Emits Ash Anew a Day After Moderately Explosive Eruption; 746 Families in Albay Evacuated
Mayon Volcano in Albay spewed ash again on Saturday morning, October 31, a day after a moderately explosive eruption forced hundreds of families to leave their homes.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the ash emission was caught on camera at 5:17 a.m. The plume reached about 200 meters above the summit crater before drifting west-southwest, based on footage from the agency’s Ligao and Ligñon Hill IP cameras, as reported by GMA News.
On Friday, October 30, Mayon had a moderately explosive eruption that began at 11:53 a.m. and lasted about six minutes. It sent a grayish ash plume some 3,000 meters above the crater, prompting PHIVOLCS to raise the volcano’s status from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3.
It is the second time this year that Mayon was placed under Alert Level 3, after its alert status was raised in January, Philstar.com reported. Albay Gov. Noel Rosal also suspended classes to ensure public safety.
As of 5 p.m. on Friday, the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) said 746 families or 2,041 individuals had been evacuated. Of these, 531 families came from Tabaco City, 205 from Camalig, and 10 from Barangay Baligang in Ligao City.
The Provincial Health Office also distributed 22,000 surgical masks to health facilities to be given to residents for protection against ashfall. Meanwhile, the local governments of Malilipot, Legazpi City, Sto. Domingo, Daraga, and Guinobatan are monitoring the situation.
PHIVOLCS recorded 15 volcanic earthquakes and 30 rockfall events on Friday. In its Saturday update, the agency said:
“Alert Level 3 prevails over Mayon and entry into the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone should be prohibited.”
Under Alert Level 3, possible hazards include rockfalls, landslides, ballistic fragments, lava flows, pyroclastic density currents, moderate-sized explosions, and lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall. PHIVOLCS also advised that aircraft should not fly close to the volcano.
Residents near the volcano are reminded to follow the guidelines of local authorities while PHIVOLCS continues to closely monitor Mayon’s activity.
READ ALSO: Mayon Volcano Still Under Alert Level 3, More Than 3K People Evacuated
