By Rey M. Nasol
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 19:23:00 12/19/2009
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Mayon Volcano is ready to blow its top, a government volcanologist said Saturday after seismographs picked up 197 volcanic quakes during the previous 24 hours.
Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the tremors were a sign that the volcano was ready to blow its top.
"Harmonic tremors continue to shake Mayon Volcano, an indication that the volcano is on the brink of a volatile eruption expected within weeks or days," he explained.
Eighteen of the 197 events were of the explosion type. However, only 15 were observed during periods of good visibility.
These explosions produced dirty-white to grayish ash columns that reached a height of 100 to 200 meters above the summit before drifting to southwest, the Phivolcs’ latest bulletin said.
Sulfur dioxide emission increased from 1,065 to 2,034 tons per day, it added.
During a period when the clouds parted Saturday morning, the color of steam seen rising from the volcano’s vents ranged from dirty-white to light brown. Night observation showed an intensified crater glow and continuous rolling down of incandescent materials from the crater.
"If it is true that Mayon could erupt in days, it could mean that it might be on the Christmas Eve or on the New Year. Whichever, we will constantly monitor radio stations to keep us updated of the events, especially during times that the volcano is not visible due to clouds," said Margilita Lorilla, an evacuee from Upper Cabangan, Camalig town.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda was posed to evacuate some 70,000 more residents in the event of heavy rains or bad weather.
Salceda, who is also the head of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, said lahar and mud flows could cascade during heavy rain, particularly in the municipalities of Guinobatan, Camalig and part of Daraga.
Alert Level 3 remained hoisted over Mayon Volcano but scientists were already contemplating on raising it to Level 4.
"Since persistent high unrest is evident at present, the possibility of hazardous volcanic eruption is high," said the Phivolcs bulletin.
The advancing lava front has reached approximately four kilometers from the crater along the Bonga Gully, producing secondary pyroclastic flows and sudden bursts of ash that were carried away toward the west in the direction of Camalig town, about nine kilometers from the foot of volcano.
Volcanologist July Sabit said that the building up of the lava dome on the crater would be a critical event since once the pressure beneath the volcano puffed up, this would break the dome, causing more lava to pour down the slopes of the mountain.
Ma. Cristina Ador, statistician of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said 40,093 people or 8,442 families from 30 villages were already in 24 evacuation centers as of 11 a.m. Saturday.
Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of the Task Force Mayon, said police and soldiers were able to convince hard-headed residents to move out of the restricted zones.
Bansawan said government troops and vehicles were sent to barangays Mabinit, Buyuan, Matanag and Bonga in Legazpi City and high-risk barangays in Ligao City and Camalig town.
