LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) reminded the people to be vigilant and avoid danger zones after a phreatic eruption occurred at Mayon Volcano on Sunday afternoon, February 4, that lasted for at least four minutes.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/4/phreatic-eruption-occurs-at-mayon-volcano-phivolcs-1
PEOPLE watch as Mayon Volcano erupts on Sunday afternoon, February 4. (Photo courtesy of Rolly Esguerra)
Dr. Cedric Daep of the APSEMO said that Alert Level 2 on Mayon Volcano remains in effect in spite of the eruption.
"So hindi naman nagtaas ng alert level ang Phivolcs kaya ‘yung advisory namin for Alert Level 2 will remain in effect. Advise natin ang publiko na maging vigilant sa lahat ng oras at wag pumasok sa danger zones," Daep said.
Daep said no ash fall has been reported in the towns of Daraga, Camalig, and Guinobatan.
Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo of Camalig confirmed that no ash fall reported in his town.
Dr. Paul Alanis, resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said they observed a grayish ash plume drifting towards southwest, putting towns of Daraga, Camalig, and Guinobatan at risk of ash fall.
"Pero sa ngayon, mag-a-ala-sais na, wala pang report ng ash fall mula sa mga lugar na ‘yan," Alanis said.
He said that the ash column was at least 1.2-kilometers high.
Alanis also said that Mayon is not showing increased activities to raise alert level.
"Wala rin naitalang volcanic quakes. Usually kahit walang sign, nagkakaroon ng phreatic eruption si Mayon. Sa ngayon wala kaming nakikitang dahilan para itaas yung alert level," Alanis added.
The phreatic eruption was accompanied by booming sounds which residents near the slopes heard and explosions.
Gremil Naz, spokesperson of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol, said that Regional Director Claudio Yucot is monitoring disaster risk reduction management units in local government units (LGUs) affected and Phivolcs as well.