Mayon Volcano in Albay, continued to intensify, alert level at 3

Mayon Volcano in Albay, continued to intensify, alert level at 3. Mayon Volcano in Albay province at abnormal activity, continued to intensify Saturday, but state volcanologists kept the alert level there at 3 for the moment.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. said Mayon now spews lava to as far as 4 km downslope from the crater.

Less explosions were recorded in the last 24 hours, although these were more powerful, sending ash up to 2 km high, Solidum said in an interview with dzRH radio.

“Humina nang bahagya pero sustained ang pagka-abnormal (The explosions slightly weakened but the level of abnormal activity is sustained)," he added.

On Friday, Phivolcs had recorded 248 volcanic quakes and tremors that produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached up to 1 km above the summit before drifting southwest.

The advancing lava flow as of Friday reached about 3 km downslope from the crater, while incandescent fragments from the lava pile rolled down along Bonga Gully reaching about 3-4 km downslope.

Solidum said it is “possible" an eruption by Mayon will be worse than the ejection of lava from the volcano in 2006.

But he said the provincial government of Albay has so far responded well with its forced evacuation of residents in the danger zone, as part of its “zero casualty" policy.

He also said Phivolcs is now guarding its instruments at strategic areas near the volcano, to prevent thieves from taking equipment and disrupting their observation activities.

“Sa ngayon, malakas ang transmission ng radyo sa gilid ng bulkan (For now, radio transmissions around the volcano remain strong)," he said.

Evacuee count nears 40,000

The number of evacuees from danger areas in Mayon neared 40,000 as of Saturday as local authorities continued implementing forced evacuations.

Radio dzRH reported that as of Friday night, some 8,264 families or 39,320 people from 30 villages within the danger zone around the volcano have been moved into 24 evacuation centers.

Mayon’s danger zone extends up to eight kilometers from the volcano.

Albay Governor Jose Salceda ordered the sustained rationing of five kilos of rice daily to each family.

Salceda also ordered local authorities to start packing up to 10,000 Noche Buena packs for families spending their Christmas in the evacuation centers, the report said.

Source: PNC, GMANewsTV