Phivolcs releases notice of 'increased activity' anew

MANILA — The Albay local government is seeking the help of the national leadership, as its budget to fund the needs of thousands of Mayon evacuees has run out amid the continued restiveness of the volcano.

"The quick response fund is about to be exhausted. That's why I think we have to again look for other sources perhaps coming from the national government in terms of cash aid," Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman told ANC's "Dateline Philippines" on Tuesday.

The Albay government has shelled out some P32 million from its calamity funds to support the Mayon evacuation efforts since June 9, a day after scientists placed the active Mayon under Alert Level 3 for an increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.

• Albay declares state of calamity due to Mayon Volcano's unrest

As of Tuesday, Lagman said there were around 5,743 families or 20,068 people in the province's 34 evacuation shelters.

He warned earlier that the fund would only last for 15 to 20 days to cater to the needs of the evacuees.

"The quick response fund that we worked on is only worth P32 million, and that’s not enough," Lagman said.

"But that's computed from our calamity fund. There might be interventions that must be secured from the national government."

The Albay volcano is expected to continue acting up for months, state seismologists have warned.

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'INCREASED ACTIVITY,' ASH FALL

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued Tuesday a notice of "increased activity" at the Mayon volcano — the second time in less than a week.

• Mayon spews hot volcanic particles, ash fall reaches Tabaco City: Phivolcs

Phivolcs said since Monday afternoon, the Mayon Volcano Network has recorded a "continuous tremor-like series of weak volcanic earthquakes that steadied and increased in strength" Tuesday morning and "persists to the present."

The tremors last approximately 11 seconds, Phivolcs added, saying they recur at intervals of five seconds.

"This current phase of unrest is likely driven by magmatic gas activity within the edifice," it said.

The flow of volcanic ash, rock, and gases — known as pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) — also continued, with ash fall reaching the residents of Guinobatan town and Ligao City, according to Phivolcs.