Between 06:11 AM yesterday to 02:31 AM this morning, seven (7) episodes of intense but sporadic lava fountaining from the summit crater lasting twenty six (26) minutes to fifty-seven (57) minutes occurred. The lava fountains reached 150 meters to 500 meters high and generated ash plumes that reached 500 meters to 3 kilometers above the crater. The events fed lava flows on the Mi-isi and Bonga Gullies, sprayed near-vent lava spatter, and fed incandescent rockfall on the summit area. Pyroclastic density currents or PDCs on gullies heading the Mi-isi, Lidong/Basud, and Buyuan Channels were also observed. The runout of PDCs on the Buyuan Channel is now exceeding 5 kilometers from the summit crater.
A total of fifteen (15) volcanic earthquakes, nineteen (19) tremor events, seven (7) of which correspond to the lava fountaining events, one (1) episode of pyroclastic density current or PDC generation from lava collapse, and numerous rockfall events were recorded by Mayon's seismic monitoring network. Rockfall events were generated by the collapsing lava front and margins of the advancing lava flow on the Mi-isi and Bonga Gullies. Currently, the Mi-isi and Buyuan lava flows have maintained their advance to three (3) kilometers and one (1) kilometer, respectively, from the summit crater. Sulfur dioxide gas emission was measured at an average of 1916 tonnes/day on 25 January 2018. Electronic tilt and continuous GPS measurements indicate a sustained swelling or inflation of the edifice since November and October 2017, consistent with pressurization by magmatic intrusion.
Alert Level 4 remains in effect over Mayon Volcano. The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and desist from entering the eight (8) kilometer-radius danger zone, and to be additionally vigilant against pyroclastic density currents, lahars and sediment-laden streamflows along channels draining the edifice. Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. DOST-PHIVOLCS maintains close monitoring of Mayon Volcano and any new development will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders.
