Mayon Volcano Alert Level Raised, Explosion Anytime: ‘Just Be READY’
The Philippines most active volcano, Mount Mayon, has been rumbling for days. Because of the volcano’s ongoing activity, the alert level has been raised to 4 and the danger zone around Mayon is now 5 miles in diameter.
A recent explosion has taken place at the volcano in the Philippines as well, sending a huge plume of ash and steam into the sky. Authorities have since raised the alert level to four out of five, meaning a potentially deadly major eruption is possible within days. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised its alert on Mayon to level 4, signifying a hazardous eruption is imminent, from level 3, which warns that such an eruption could be “weeks or even days” away. “We strongly advise all people, both residents, and tourists, to avoid the danger zone, and airlines to avoid flying near the volcano summit,” agency chief Renato Solidum said in a public news conference.
PHIVOLCS reported “increased seismic unrest, lava fountaining, and summit explosions” in the area and Solidum warned of two possible scenarios in the press conference on Monday: continuous lava eruptions, or a more dangerous pyroclastic flow. (A pyroclastic flow is a mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash, and volcanic gas that moves at high speed down the slope of a volcano while typically following valleys, according to the United States Geological Survey.)
Solidum said this eruption was a possible “smaller version [of the] 2001 eruption,” which had pyroclastic flow. Solidum said the agency had recorded increased seismic activity and “lava fountaining and a summit explosion” from Sunday night, indicating more explosions could be ahead, including a hazardous eruption. A level 5 would signify that a violent and possible deadly eruption is underway.
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