By Nancy Ibo Mediavillo
LEGAZPI CITY, Oct. 19 (PNA) — A wider lava flow was seen early Sunday morning coming out of the Mayon Volcano, Ed Laguerta, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology resident volcanologist, said during the media briefing on Mayon status at the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office operation center on Sunday morning.
Laguerta said the lava flow was seen along the Bonga Gulley at the southeastern quadrant of the volcano.
The flow was about 100 meters wide and about 300 meters long from the crater of Mayon.
On previous Sunday, another lava flowed down the volcano up to 350 meters down along the side of the same gulley.
“The flow this time has more volcanic materials compared to that of last Sunday’s,” Laguerta said.
He disclosed that the subsequent Sunday flows of lava confirms the magma is continuously rising towards the summit of Mayon, although its ascent is very slow.
The Phivolcs official said the materials ejected by the volcano is part of the old volcanic deposits as there was no gas emission, that was why the flow was not continuous.
Aside from the deposit that is being vomited is viscous, which means that the volcano is still discharging the old magma, there was no gas.
“While there was a crater glow, it was faint and could not be seen by our naked eyes because of thick clouds,” Laguerta added.
He said, however, that the glow at the summit would become intense once the magma is near the summit.
Although the volcano’s ground inflation decreased, he said, this does not mean that the activity of Mayon weakened and instead, he warned the public as the magma is nearing the crater compared to the condition in the previous days of monitoring of their agency.
“In this connection, the condition of Mayon will become critical if their seismograph registers continuous harmonic tremors or vibrations of the ground, accompanied by an intense glow and lava fountaining, which means the magma is near Mayon’s crater,” Laguerta said.
This, he stressed, means the volcano is about to erupt.
The veteran volcanologist claimed that if this condition occurs, all activities of will be fast.
“Expect rapid changes and within days, explosive eruption may occur,” Laguerta said.
During the past 24-hour observation period, the Mayon’s seismic network recorded two volcanic earthquakes while there was a moderate emission of white steam plumes drifting west and northwest.
Sulfur dioxide flux was measured at an average of 269 tons per day on Oct. 17 while ground deformation data on Oct. 14-16 showed deflation at the base of the edifice relative to Oct. 4-10 precise leveling survey although the edifice remains inflated compared to baseline measurements.
Tilt data also indicate continuous inflation at the base of the edifice since August.
All the above data indicate that the volcano is still in a state of unrest due to the movement of potentially eruptible magma. (PNA)