A phreatic eruption occurred at the Mayon Volcano summit at 4:37 p.m., said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday, Feb. 4.
Phivolcs said the eruption lasted for two minutes and 49 seconds based on the seismic record.
"The event generated a booming sound, rockfall, pyroclastic density currents or PDC and a 1,200 meter-tall plume that drifted to the southwest," said Phivolcs.
As defined by Phivolcs, a phreatic eruption is "steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot rocks, or new volcanic deposits."
It added that phreatic or steam-driven eruptions are "sudden-onset" and "short-lived" events.
Phivolcs also noted it occurs without warnings, that is why it has been advising the public to be wary against possible phreatic eruptions.
Mayon Volcano was under under Alert Level 2 since Dec. 8, 2023.