A major and violent eruption of Mayon Volcano could be just days away, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned yesterday. Philvolcs raised the alert level three to alert four. This means the that an explosive eruption could take place in days, following a greater frequency of earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said they raised the alert level at the volcano because of a significant increase in the number and size of volcanic earthquakes and tremors, sustained high sulfur dioxide gas emission and rumbling sound.

“This means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days, thus, areas expected to be affected by such eruption will be accordingly extended,” Solidum said.

Solidum also told reporters that “what we are preparing for is a hazardous eruption and a quick descent of pyroclastic ash flow.”

He said the ash flow would remain within six kilometers of the 2,460-meter (8,070 feet) volcano.

“But naturally, we have a buffer zone,” just to make sure, he said.

Solidum said cascading lava could trigger a pyroclastic flow – superheated gas and volcanic debris racing down the slopes at very high speed, vaporizing everything in its path.

Albay officials had already ordered evacuation of at least 16,000 more families, or 70,000 people found up to the eight-kilometer radius high risk zone. The government has already evacuated more than 8,600 of the 9,000 or so families living within an eight-kilometer (five mile) danger zone set up around Mayon, civil defense officials said. Officials also said they might have to spend up to four months in temporary shelters.

Mayon could remain silent after an initial eruption before erupting yet again, said the volcanologists. Although ash from the volcano was unlikely to threaten residents directly, there was a risk it could turn into a deadly mudflow, as happened in 2006, when hundreds of people were swept away, the officials said.

While no one was directly killed by that eruption, tons of debris that had collected on Mayon’s slopes were dislodged by typhoon “Reming” three months later. The avalanche of mud and boulders crushed entire villages, leaving over 1,000 dead.

Source: Philstar.com

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