Mayon Volcano rockfall activity doubles in 24 hours

MANILA – Rockfall activity in restive Mayon Volcano has doubled in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Thursday. 

“Yung kahapon between 5 a.m .yesterday June 7, to 5 a.m. today June 8, we recorded 98 rockfall events, this is much higher than the 46 rockfall events that we detected between June 6 and June 7," Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol told Teleradyo.

“Kahapon meron kaming na-measure na 332 tons per day na sulfur dioxide emission which is lower than the 570 tons per day that we measured the previous day,” the official added.

Phivolcs on Monday raised Mayon Volcano's alert level from Level 1 (abnormal) to Level 2 (increased unrest) due to increased rockfall.

• 'Don't go near Mayon crater', official urges farmers

The agency said it recorded 332 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions from Mayon Volcano on Wednesday, June 7.

BULKANG MAYON
Buod ng 24 oras na pagmamanman
08 Hunyo 2023 alas-5 ng umaga #MayonVolcano

Filipino: https://t.co/0H7f4GGN6p

English: https://t.co/8y342Juyn6 pic.twitter.com/poZLtJqTKd

— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) June 8, 2023

Meanwhile, Phivolcs said Taal Volcano’s sulfur dioxide emissions went down on Wednesday.

“Yesterday, sulfur dioxide emission, medyo bumaba naman from 7,680 tons the previous day, magiging 5,780 na lang kahapon, and it’s still very much lower than the 9,391 tons per day that we saw three days ago,” Bacolcol said.

Still, Bacolcol said residents should still avoid the Taal Volcano Island.

“Wag lang po sila pumasok doon sa Taal Volcano Island…para lang makaiwas din sa vog, siguro, magsuot ng mask,” he noted.

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Meanwhile, in Mt. Kanlaon, 9 low frequency volcanic quakes were recorded on Wednesday.

“Yung sulfur dioxide emission natin is yung June 5, last nating na-measure is 1,089 tons per day.” 

Bacolcol said the activities of the 3 volcanoes are not related.

“Nagkataon lang po ito, wala po silang kaugnayan, we have 24 active volcanoes so the possibility na sabay-sabay yang mag-aalburoto is always there. Nagkataon lang po ito na sabay-sabay silang nagparamdam,” he explained.

• Flights above Mt. Kanlaon now also prohibited: CAAP

--TeleRadyo, 8 June 2023