By Gil Francis G. Arevalo (Inquirer)
Last updated 01:41am (Mla time) 07/20/2006
FOR students and tourists who wish to enjoy a “heaven on earth” experience while learning all about the majestic Mount Mayon, the Mayon planetarium is a perfect destination.
The facility, built on the volcano’s slope 854 meters above sea level, offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, San Miguel Island, Curangon Shoal, Mount Malinao (another volcano within the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire), nearby towns and lakes, and of course, the famous Mayon skyline.
It also features slide shows or presentations of the volcano’s activities for the past centuries.
But the tourist and educational attraction, also known as the Virtual Mayon Simulation and Observatory Facility, also faces Mayon’s fury when it erupts. It lies within the 6-km permanent danger zone.
Alex Baloloy, science research analyst of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said the 1,000-sq m planetarium compound is in the northeast quadrant of the volcano, identified as one of the critical areas in case of a major eruption.
Since the early 1990s, major eruptions have inflicted the greatest destruction in terms of casualties in the northeast and southeast quadrants.
“We can never really tell what particular portions will be affected or spared in case we raise the alert level to 4 or 5. Mayon Planetarium is one of the areas that will be directly hit by pyroclastic flows and lava trickles,” Baloloy said.
An alert level 4 or 5 means the permanent danger zone should be completely cleared of residents.
Since it opened in March, the planetarium has become one of the most-sought places to visit in Tabaco City. Aside from schools in Albay, institutions from neighboring provinces have also conducted educational tours there.
The Philippine Tourism Authority and the Department of Science and Technology highly recommended the facility early this year to be one of the pioneering educational sites in the region.
The one-story planetarium has four rooms housing the library, the virtual room, a mini-museum and an audiovisual hall.
It was constructed just 61 meters above the popular Mayon Skyline Hotel and Convention Center, which used to be known as the Mayon Rest House, according to city engineer Juan Berces.
“We considered both the challenge and the danger of building it there, but in cases like the declaration of alert level 3 status, of course, it is advisable for people not to go there. The fact is that Mayon does not erupt all the time and we are always coordinating with the Phivolcs, as well as the Tabaco City Disaster Coordinating Council as far as the status of Mayon is concerned,” Berces said.
Despite the possible danger, he added, many students and tourists are very eager to reach the place and enjoy a clear view of Mayon.
“It may look as if we’re not serious about what’s going on now, but we believe that being at the planetarium provides us an opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of witnessing the actual eruption of Mt. Mayon,” said Ruben Barcoma, 19, a student and mountain climber from Tabaco.
Resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta cautioned that it would be better not to visit the place at this time because of the unpredictable behavior of Mayon.
[Source]
Thursday, July 20, 2006
100 Villagers Near Restive Mayon Flee Homes
Associated Press, Inquirer
Last updated 07:43pm (Mla time) 07/20/2006
STO. DOMINGO, Albay – (UPDATE) About 100 residents of two villages fled their homes Thursday morning in apparent panic as fragments of lava rolled down the slopes of Mayon Volcano, raising clouds of volcanic ash that strong winds blew toward the town of Sto. Domingo, officials said.
Mushroom clouds of ash shot up into the sky starting around 7:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Wednesday), sending farmers running for safety as parents took their children home from school.
Eduardo Laguerta, from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the ash clouds were caused by the collapse and disintegration of superheated lava mounds several kilometers (miles) from the crater of the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) volcano.
He said anyone nearby could suffocate or be severely burned.
Lava and red-hot boulders have been trickling down Mayon since it came to life Friday in a "mild and quiet" eruption, which could continue for weeks, volcanologists said.
The government has declared a no-go area in a six-kilometer (3.75-mile) zone around the crater, but several thousands still live and farm within the area and cannot be forced out until there is an official mandatory evacuation order.
Romeo Cabria, action officer of the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council, said the fleeing residents of the villages of Lidong and San Isidro, could have been alarmed by the ash cloud they saw heading toward their place.
He said the residents were brought to the municipal gymnasium but the local government planned to send them back to their homes as the alert level to warrant evacuation had not yet been reached.
"It was not yet the impending major blast,” said Laguerta. “The ash cloud did not come from the crater but from the lava fragments that collapsed downslope."
Seismographs recorded 404 tremors during the past 24 hours compared to Wednesday’s 250, which Phivolcs said can be associated with increasing lava extrusion, rockfalls, and detaching lava fragments.
The sulfur dioxide emission, which Laguerta said is one of the indicators of surfacing magma, was relatively higher than the normal level at 1,863 tons per day yesterday.
Jukes Nuñez of the Provincial Disaster oordinating Council said no evacuation was ordered yet because the alert level remained at three. However, he said, classes were suspended in Lidong and San Isidro because of the feared ash fall.
Farmer Eladio Echaluce, 85, said he was working in his field at Matanag village on the volcano's southeastern slope, when he heard a shout and saw someone pointing to a cloud of ash.
"When I saw the cloud, I got scared and came down," he said.
Another farmer, Loreto Aydaya, rushed along carrying a sack of vegetables and leading his two water buffalos.
"I was scared because I was about a kilometer (mile) away," he said.
School teacher Jenny Perez said parents rushed to the Matanag Elementary School to get their children.
"I could not do anything, so I just dismissed my class," she said.
Other residents packed bags and kitchen utensils and waited on the roadside or inside their homes for village officials' signal to evacuate.
In Lidong village in nearby Santo Domingo town, some residents were told to leave.
Alvin Rodriguez said he was worried that his family, especially his three young children, would be overwhelmed by the ash fall.
Mayon is one of the Philippines' 22 active volcanos. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
Last updated 07:43pm (Mla time) 07/20/2006
STO. DOMINGO, Albay – (UPDATE) About 100 residents of two villages fled their homes Thursday morning in apparent panic as fragments of lava rolled down the slopes of Mayon Volcano, raising clouds of volcanic ash that strong winds blew toward the town of Sto. Domingo, officials said.
Mushroom clouds of ash shot up into the sky starting around 7:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Wednesday), sending farmers running for safety as parents took their children home from school.
Eduardo Laguerta, from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the ash clouds were caused by the collapse and disintegration of superheated lava mounds several kilometers (miles) from the crater of the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) volcano.
He said anyone nearby could suffocate or be severely burned.
Lava and red-hot boulders have been trickling down Mayon since it came to life Friday in a "mild and quiet" eruption, which could continue for weeks, volcanologists said.
The government has declared a no-go area in a six-kilometer (3.75-mile) zone around the crater, but several thousands still live and farm within the area and cannot be forced out until there is an official mandatory evacuation order.
Romeo Cabria, action officer of the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council, said the fleeing residents of the villages of Lidong and San Isidro, could have been alarmed by the ash cloud they saw heading toward their place.
He said the residents were brought to the municipal gymnasium but the local government planned to send them back to their homes as the alert level to warrant evacuation had not yet been reached.
"It was not yet the impending major blast,” said Laguerta. “The ash cloud did not come from the crater but from the lava fragments that collapsed downslope."
Seismographs recorded 404 tremors during the past 24 hours compared to Wednesday’s 250, which Phivolcs said can be associated with increasing lava extrusion, rockfalls, and detaching lava fragments.
The sulfur dioxide emission, which Laguerta said is one of the indicators of surfacing magma, was relatively higher than the normal level at 1,863 tons per day yesterday.
Jukes Nuñez of the Provincial Disaster oordinating Council said no evacuation was ordered yet because the alert level remained at three. However, he said, classes were suspended in Lidong and San Isidro because of the feared ash fall.
Farmer Eladio Echaluce, 85, said he was working in his field at Matanag village on the volcano's southeastern slope, when he heard a shout and saw someone pointing to a cloud of ash.
"When I saw the cloud, I got scared and came down," he said.
Another farmer, Loreto Aydaya, rushed along carrying a sack of vegetables and leading his two water buffalos.
"I was scared because I was about a kilometer (mile) away," he said.
School teacher Jenny Perez said parents rushed to the Matanag Elementary School to get their children.
"I could not do anything, so I just dismissed my class," she said.
Other residents packed bags and kitchen utensils and waited on the roadside or inside their homes for village officials' signal to evacuate.
In Lidong village in nearby Santo Domingo town, some residents were told to leave.
Alvin Rodriguez said he was worried that his family, especially his three young children, would be overwhelmed by the ash fall.
Mayon is one of the Philippines' 22 active volcanos. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
Mayon On Throes Of Hazardous Eruption
FLAMING mud and rocks the size of a car cascaded from the slopes of Mayon volcano yesterday, raising the risk of a hazardous eruption, a volcanologist said.
"We’ve observed heightened activities in the volcano," said resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta. "From 6 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday, our instruments recorded a total of 111 volcanic tremors, a significant increase from Friday to Saturday’s 22."
Laguerta said lava was seeping out of the summit of the 2,462-meter volcano forming an elongated mass to about 800 meters downslope.
The lava flow deposited a stream of incandescent molten rocks along Mayon’s upper and middle slopes, about 3 km from the summit.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the increase in lava extrusion rate was also accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emission, from the previous 1,251 tons per day to about 2,211 tons per day measured Saturday morning.
A 6-km danger zone was imposed around Mayon, but was widened to 7 km on the southeast slope, facing Legazpi City and Sto. Domingo town, due to the risks of lava flow.
"If the activities continued in the next few days, we may upgrade the alert level to 4, which means a hazardous eruption is imminent within hours to days," said Laguerta, adding they have also recorded increased sulfuric gas emissions.
Thousands of people in six towns in Albay packed their belongings as they prepared to flee their farms and homes due to increased volcanic activities in the last 24 hours that prompted authorities to raise the alert level to 3 on Friday.
About 60,000 people in Albay will be evacuated in the event of a major eruption, disaster official Cedric Daep said on Saturday.
"At this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within the six kilometer-radius permanent danger zone," Phivolcs said.
Malacañang urged the public to keep out of the danger zone.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye gave the assurance the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local government units are on top of all disaster preparedness measures.
"Preparedness and coordination between the concerned government agencies, the local government units, as well as the communities in the area would be the key in maintaining a zero-casualty rate in the event that a major eruption occurs," he said.
Mayon volcano showed abnormal activity last month and spewed ashes on Thursday, covering homes in Malilipot town. When lava trickled from its crater late on Friday, authorities raised the alert level to 3 from 1.
At level 3, a dangerous hazardous explosion is considered possible; at 4 it is seen as likely and at 5, the highest alert, an eruption has occurred with lava flows or ash columns reaching 6 km.
Phivolcs has been watching Bulusan volcano in nearby Sorsogon province after it spewed ash and vented steam in March. Last month, volcanologists raised the alert level there to 2.
The Philippines lies on the "Ring of Fire," a belt of volcanoes that circles the Pacific Ocean, which is also prone to earthquakes.
Mayon, among the 22 active volcanoes in the country. has erupted around 50 times over the past 400 years. The most destructive eruption came in February 1841 when lava flows buried a town and killed 1,200 people.
The last time Mayon erupted was in 2000-2001. – Reinir Padua, Jocelyn Montemayor and Reuters
[Source]
"We’ve observed heightened activities in the volcano," said resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta. "From 6 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday, our instruments recorded a total of 111 volcanic tremors, a significant increase from Friday to Saturday’s 22."
Laguerta said lava was seeping out of the summit of the 2,462-meter volcano forming an elongated mass to about 800 meters downslope.
The lava flow deposited a stream of incandescent molten rocks along Mayon’s upper and middle slopes, about 3 km from the summit.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the increase in lava extrusion rate was also accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emission, from the previous 1,251 tons per day to about 2,211 tons per day measured Saturday morning.
A 6-km danger zone was imposed around Mayon, but was widened to 7 km on the southeast slope, facing Legazpi City and Sto. Domingo town, due to the risks of lava flow.
"If the activities continued in the next few days, we may upgrade the alert level to 4, which means a hazardous eruption is imminent within hours to days," said Laguerta, adding they have also recorded increased sulfuric gas emissions.
Thousands of people in six towns in Albay packed their belongings as they prepared to flee their farms and homes due to increased volcanic activities in the last 24 hours that prompted authorities to raise the alert level to 3 on Friday.
About 60,000 people in Albay will be evacuated in the event of a major eruption, disaster official Cedric Daep said on Saturday.
"At this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within the six kilometer-radius permanent danger zone," Phivolcs said.
Malacañang urged the public to keep out of the danger zone.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye gave the assurance the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local government units are on top of all disaster preparedness measures.
"Preparedness and coordination between the concerned government agencies, the local government units, as well as the communities in the area would be the key in maintaining a zero-casualty rate in the event that a major eruption occurs," he said.
Mayon volcano showed abnormal activity last month and spewed ashes on Thursday, covering homes in Malilipot town. When lava trickled from its crater late on Friday, authorities raised the alert level to 3 from 1.
At level 3, a dangerous hazardous explosion is considered possible; at 4 it is seen as likely and at 5, the highest alert, an eruption has occurred with lava flows or ash columns reaching 6 km.
Phivolcs has been watching Bulusan volcano in nearby Sorsogon province after it spewed ash and vented steam in March. Last month, volcanologists raised the alert level there to 2.
The Philippines lies on the "Ring of Fire," a belt of volcanoes that circles the Pacific Ocean, which is also prone to earthquakes.
Mayon, among the 22 active volcanoes in the country. has erupted around 50 times over the past 400 years. The most destructive eruption came in February 1841 when lava flows buried a town and killed 1,200 people.
The last time Mayon erupted was in 2000-2001. – Reinir Padua, Jocelyn Montemayor and Reuters
[Source]
Mayon Remains A Threat — Phivolcs
By Ed De Leon, Jen Jorvina, and Madel Sabater
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday warned the public that volcanic explosions and life-threatening pyroclastic flows still remain a possibility as rockfalls and lava flow continue in the vicinity of the restive Mayon volcano.
"Explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remain high," Phivolcs said.
A pyroclastic flow is a volcanic hazard described as a trigger-directed blast forming hot rocks and gases down the volcano’s slopes.
According to Phivolcs, 250 tremor events had been recorded in Mayon during its 24-hour observation period, higher than the other day’s 100 short duration harmonic tremors.
The volcano’s sulfur oxide emission also escalated to 2,157 tonnes per day (t/d), which is "to be expected from an ongoing eruptive activity," Phivolcs said.
The institute also disclosed that lava flow in Bonga Gulley, the southeastern sector of the volcano, had been at 1,200 meters elevation or a little less than three kilometers (kms) from the crater as of press time.
"Lava fragments detaching from the flowing lava have reached farther downslope about four kms or more from the crater," the institute said.
Phivolcs, however, assured that all flows and rockfall activity are "occurring well within the six-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ)."
Phivolcs said Alert Level 3 is still hoisted over Mayon volcano, adding that the public is still barred from the six-km PDZ, except for the volcano’s southeast sector or the Bonga Gulley, where a seven-km PDZ had been imposed.
"The crater is lowest at the southeast stream," Solidum said.
Meanwhile, in Legazpi City, Albay, boulders of Mayon volcano as big as houses are seen trapped at its mid-section, some four kilometers from the crater or approximately estimated 3,000 meters at elevation 700 meters above sea level in Bonga Gulley.
"It is very dangerous for these boulders to stay at the mid-section of the volcano because the lava continues to push down the boulders towards Bonga Gulley," an official of the Phivolcs said yesterday during an inspection at the Bonga Gulley.
At the inspection with media, Phivolcs said that boulders as big as houses and lava fragments have reached further down the slope of Mayon volcano, about four kilometers below the crater. These boulders will go down to the Bonga Gulley when it rains hard.
The Phivolcs said that all flows and rockfall activities are occurring well within the six-kilometer radius PDZ, adding that light ash falls derived mainly from the lava fragments may be experienced over areas beyond the PDZ due to prevailing winds.
The Phivolcs said that there are some 13.9 million cubic meters of volcanic debris around the slopes of Mayon.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Mayon. Residents were advised to be vigilant against explosive eruptions and to be prepared for evacuation any time.
[Source]
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday warned the public that volcanic explosions and life-threatening pyroclastic flows still remain a possibility as rockfalls and lava flow continue in the vicinity of the restive Mayon volcano.
"Explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remain high," Phivolcs said.
A pyroclastic flow is a volcanic hazard described as a trigger-directed blast forming hot rocks and gases down the volcano’s slopes.
According to Phivolcs, 250 tremor events had been recorded in Mayon during its 24-hour observation period, higher than the other day’s 100 short duration harmonic tremors.
The volcano’s sulfur oxide emission also escalated to 2,157 tonnes per day (t/d), which is "to be expected from an ongoing eruptive activity," Phivolcs said.
The institute also disclosed that lava flow in Bonga Gulley, the southeastern sector of the volcano, had been at 1,200 meters elevation or a little less than three kilometers (kms) from the crater as of press time.
"Lava fragments detaching from the flowing lava have reached farther downslope about four kms or more from the crater," the institute said.
Phivolcs, however, assured that all flows and rockfall activity are "occurring well within the six-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ)."
Phivolcs said Alert Level 3 is still hoisted over Mayon volcano, adding that the public is still barred from the six-km PDZ, except for the volcano’s southeast sector or the Bonga Gulley, where a seven-km PDZ had been imposed.
"The crater is lowest at the southeast stream," Solidum said.
Meanwhile, in Legazpi City, Albay, boulders of Mayon volcano as big as houses are seen trapped at its mid-section, some four kilometers from the crater or approximately estimated 3,000 meters at elevation 700 meters above sea level in Bonga Gulley.
"It is very dangerous for these boulders to stay at the mid-section of the volcano because the lava continues to push down the boulders towards Bonga Gulley," an official of the Phivolcs said yesterday during an inspection at the Bonga Gulley.
At the inspection with media, Phivolcs said that boulders as big as houses and lava fragments have reached further down the slope of Mayon volcano, about four kilometers below the crater. These boulders will go down to the Bonga Gulley when it rains hard.
The Phivolcs said that all flows and rockfall activities are occurring well within the six-kilometer radius PDZ, adding that light ash falls derived mainly from the lava fragments may be experienced over areas beyond the PDZ due to prevailing winds.
The Phivolcs said that there are some 13.9 million cubic meters of volcanic debris around the slopes of Mayon.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Mayon. Residents were advised to be vigilant against explosive eruptions and to be prepared for evacuation any time.
[Source]
1993 Eruption Left Imprint On Slope Dwellers
By Rhaydz B. Barcia, Correspondent
Legazpi City: Mario Miña was tending his farm in Matanag, a village on the southeast slope of Mount Mayon, in February 1993 when the volcano unleashed a torrent of lava in a spectacular eruption.
Mario didn’t have time to escape. He and 76 other farmers died that day.
Thirteen years later, his son, Romar, only has a photo of his father to remember him by. Romar was just 18 months old then.
On Saturday, as the volcano showed signs of blowing again, Romar visited a concrete marker topped by a white cross where his father and the other victims of the 1993 eruption were buried.
Antonio Alcera, 55, the village chieftain of Matanag, told The Manila Times that the fatalities came from the villages of Matanag, Buyuan, Mabinit and Bonga.
“It’s heartbreaking because every time Mayon erupts, I think of my father’s fate and I’m completely terrified,” Romar, now a fifth grader at the Matanag Elementary School, told The Times.
From the marker, Romar led The Times to his home to show the picture of his father. “This is my precious keepsake,” he said in the local dialect. His mother, Rosie, has since remarried. Romar lives with her and his stepfather and three other siblings.
Veronica Perez, 73, survived Mayon’s fury in 1993 but lost her husband, Federico, and her youngest son, Rafael.
“I was harvesting our sweet potato and we were able to collect at least three sacks. My husband arrived, bringing our lunch. We were eating when I heard a deafening sound. I thought a plane had crashed.”
A few minutes later Veronica said her body was swept by a surge of hot air. She felt a burning on her back. Hot ash and rocks were falling all over the place.
“Rafael rescued me. Unfortunately he was hit by molten rocks,” she said.
Veronica carries a unique and painful memento of that day. There is a scar on her back that eerily resembles Mayon’s cone shape. She said that whenever the volcano is restive, she feels the scar heats up.
In 2000 a total of 3,047 families resided in the 10 villages at the foot of the volcano declared a danger zone by authorities. The latest count showed only 1,484 families remain.
The holdouts are in the municipalities of Malilipot, Daraga, Camalig, Ligao and in Tabaco City.
Residents of Mabinit and nearby areas told The Times that when the volcano is restive they’re worried but they could not leave the slopes because they have farms there.
Residents living in Albay face another threat. Heavy and continuous rain could turn the 60 million tons of volcanic materials left on Mayon’s from the 2000 and 2001 eruptions into a deadly cascade of lahar.
Mayon Volcano has a major eruption every 5 to 10 years, and each eruption disrupts the economic growth of the rural communities around it.
About 65,000 to 83,000 people are directly affected by a major eruption. A prolonged eruption can affect more than 114,000 people. Agricultural activities are active in the area such as vegetable farming, animal raisings, copra making and ornamental-plant picking.
Since 1616 the volcano has erupted over 50 times. The worst was on February 1, 1814, when more than 1,200 people were killed and the towns of Camalig, Cagsawa and Budiao and half of Guinobatan were left in ruins.
[Source]
Legazpi City: Mario Miña was tending his farm in Matanag, a village on the southeast slope of Mount Mayon, in February 1993 when the volcano unleashed a torrent of lava in a spectacular eruption.
Mario didn’t have time to escape. He and 76 other farmers died that day.
Thirteen years later, his son, Romar, only has a photo of his father to remember him by. Romar was just 18 months old then.
On Saturday, as the volcano showed signs of blowing again, Romar visited a concrete marker topped by a white cross where his father and the other victims of the 1993 eruption were buried.
Antonio Alcera, 55, the village chieftain of Matanag, told The Manila Times that the fatalities came from the villages of Matanag, Buyuan, Mabinit and Bonga.
“It’s heartbreaking because every time Mayon erupts, I think of my father’s fate and I’m completely terrified,” Romar, now a fifth grader at the Matanag Elementary School, told The Times.
From the marker, Romar led The Times to his home to show the picture of his father. “This is my precious keepsake,” he said in the local dialect. His mother, Rosie, has since remarried. Romar lives with her and his stepfather and three other siblings.
Veronica Perez, 73, survived Mayon’s fury in 1993 but lost her husband, Federico, and her youngest son, Rafael.
“I was harvesting our sweet potato and we were able to collect at least three sacks. My husband arrived, bringing our lunch. We were eating when I heard a deafening sound. I thought a plane had crashed.”
A few minutes later Veronica said her body was swept by a surge of hot air. She felt a burning on her back. Hot ash and rocks were falling all over the place.
“Rafael rescued me. Unfortunately he was hit by molten rocks,” she said.
Veronica carries a unique and painful memento of that day. There is a scar on her back that eerily resembles Mayon’s cone shape. She said that whenever the volcano is restive, she feels the scar heats up.
In 2000 a total of 3,047 families resided in the 10 villages at the foot of the volcano declared a danger zone by authorities. The latest count showed only 1,484 families remain.
The holdouts are in the municipalities of Malilipot, Daraga, Camalig, Ligao and in Tabaco City.
Residents of Mabinit and nearby areas told The Times that when the volcano is restive they’re worried but they could not leave the slopes because they have farms there.
Residents living in Albay face another threat. Heavy and continuous rain could turn the 60 million tons of volcanic materials left on Mayon’s from the 2000 and 2001 eruptions into a deadly cascade of lahar.
Mayon Volcano has a major eruption every 5 to 10 years, and each eruption disrupts the economic growth of the rural communities around it.
About 65,000 to 83,000 people are directly affected by a major eruption. A prolonged eruption can affect more than 114,000 people. Agricultural activities are active in the area such as vegetable farming, animal raisings, copra making and ornamental-plant picking.
Since 1616 the volcano has erupted over 50 times. The worst was on February 1, 1814, when more than 1,200 people were killed and the towns of Camalig, Cagsawa and Budiao and half of Guinobatan were left in ruins.
[Source]
Mayon In ‘Quiet’ Eruption; Evacuation Centers Readied
AUTHORITIES stockpiled food and prepared evacuation centers in Legazpi City Saturday, after lava began trickling down the slopes of Mayon Volcano in a “quiet eruption.”
Low clouds were obscuring the sight of the almost-perfect cone on the 2,474-meter mountain, and officials said they won’t order any evacuations yet as they braced themselves for a possible violent eruption that may take weeks.
“A hazardous eruption is possible. We don’t know when, maybe within weeks,” Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said late Friday. “It is a quiet eruption as of now.”
Authorities upgraded the alert level around the volcano to 3, two notches below the highest level.
“Once the alert level goes to 4, the danger zone will be extended to 7 kilometers around Mayon,” said Cedric Daep, a regional disaster-relief official in Albay province.
He said that disaster-relief officials were stockpiling food and putting evacuation centers on standby to see “what needs to be repaired or added.”
Eduardo Laguerta, the government’s resident volcanologist, said on Saturday that Mayon continued to push lava fragments down its northeastern slopes, at the lowest portion of the crater.
About 50 volcanic earthquakes also had been recorded over the past two days, he said.
The government maintains a six-kilometer “permanent danger zone” around the peak, but many residents still live on or farm the slopes of the country’s most famous volcano.
On March 22 1,484 families were in the danger zone.
If the situation worsens the zone will be widened to 8 km and 3,907 more families will be evacuated.
In the worst case, the danger zone will be extended to 10 km, which will require the evacuation of 8,479 more families.
Gov. Fernando Gonzalez of Albay said the municipal mayors will handle the evacuation.
Rico Azuris, 42, resident of Buyuan village in Legazpi, told The Manila Times that his family did not sleep Friday night, fearing Mayon might blow.
“We experienced at least two eruption episodes during the night,” Azuris said.
Mayon, one of the country’s 22 active volcanos, last came to life in a series of eruptions in 2001, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. It has erupted about 50 times since 1616.
Mayon’s most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people.
Bulusan Volcano, about 50 kilometers south of Mayon, has ejected ash in about five minor explosions since March.
In June 1991 Mount Pinatubo exploded in Zambales in one of the world’s biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
--AP and Rhaydz B. Barcia
[Source]
Low clouds were obscuring the sight of the almost-perfect cone on the 2,474-meter mountain, and officials said they won’t order any evacuations yet as they braced themselves for a possible violent eruption that may take weeks.
“A hazardous eruption is possible. We don’t know when, maybe within weeks,” Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said late Friday. “It is a quiet eruption as of now.”
Authorities upgraded the alert level around the volcano to 3, two notches below the highest level.
“Once the alert level goes to 4, the danger zone will be extended to 7 kilometers around Mayon,” said Cedric Daep, a regional disaster-relief official in Albay province.
He said that disaster-relief officials were stockpiling food and putting evacuation centers on standby to see “what needs to be repaired or added.”
Eduardo Laguerta, the government’s resident volcanologist, said on Saturday that Mayon continued to push lava fragments down its northeastern slopes, at the lowest portion of the crater.
About 50 volcanic earthquakes also had been recorded over the past two days, he said.
The government maintains a six-kilometer “permanent danger zone” around the peak, but many residents still live on or farm the slopes of the country’s most famous volcano.
On March 22 1,484 families were in the danger zone.
If the situation worsens the zone will be widened to 8 km and 3,907 more families will be evacuated.
In the worst case, the danger zone will be extended to 10 km, which will require the evacuation of 8,479 more families.
Gov. Fernando Gonzalez of Albay said the municipal mayors will handle the evacuation.
Rico Azuris, 42, resident of Buyuan village in Legazpi, told The Manila Times that his family did not sleep Friday night, fearing Mayon might blow.
“We experienced at least two eruption episodes during the night,” Azuris said.
Mayon, one of the country’s 22 active volcanos, last came to life in a series of eruptions in 2001, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. It has erupted about 50 times since 1616.
Mayon’s most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people.
Bulusan Volcano, about 50 kilometers south of Mayon, has ejected ash in about five minor explosions since March.
In June 1991 Mount Pinatubo exploded in Zambales in one of the world’s biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
--AP and Rhaydz B. Barcia
[Source]
‘Mayon’s Big Bang Likely To Happen In Two Weeks’
By Rhaydz B. Barcia, Correspondent
Legazpi City: The oozing snakelike lava flow from Mount Mayon’s crater has reached 800 meters down slope or just a few kilometers away from the six-kilometer radius of the permanent danger zone. There, up to now, farmers keep on tilling their farms waiting for more definitive signs that the volcano will really explode.
This situation has made the military in Bicol reactivate “Task Force Mayon” to quickly move to rescue people in trouble as soon as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raises the alert to level 4, which demands that all be evacuated out of the danger zone.
Arsenio Arugay, commanding general of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade based in Villahermosa Daraga, Albay, told The Manila Times that it was Lt. Gen. Pedro Cabuay, Southern Luzon commanding general, who reactivated “Task Force Mayon.”
Arugay said an augmentation force of one army battalion will be deployed in Albay.
That force will assist during evacuation with rescue and relief operations as well as provide security in coordination with the Philippine National Police, Arugay said.
Ernesto Corpuz, Phivolcs volcano monitoring eruption chief, told The Times, “Within two weeks a big bang is likely to occur. This is based on the parameters being exhibited by the volcano.”
A continuous stream of incandescent materials toward Bonga gully was observed at the volcano from 6:43 Sunday night until 3:58 Monday morning following the flow of detached materials coming from advancing lava from the summit.
The rolling incandescent materials and advancing lava were accompanied by 314 tremor episodes recorded by the seismic network during the past observation period. This was significantly more than 111 tremor episodes recorded yesterday. No explosive quake has been recorded since 6 this morning.
The sulfur dioxide (S02) emission rate of the volcanic plume was measured at 1,513 tons a day yesterday compared with 2,211 on July 15. The increased seismic activity, relatively fast lava extrusion rate and high S02 reading indicated the heightened unrest of the volcano, which could lead to eruption.
Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Provincial Public Safety and Management Office, told The Times that everything is ready once Mount Mayon blows up.
Daep is constantly meeting with the municipal disaster coordination officials in Albay to countercheck the group’s preparations.
Alert level 3 remains in effect at Mayon, which means that residents within the 8-kilometer-radius PDZ and just beyond the PDZ, especially in the southeast portion facing the Bonga gully, should be vigilant against explosive eruption since major hazards like rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within these areas.
Residents near areas facing the Bonga gully in the southeast portion of the volcano and within 7 kilometers at the crater are advised to be prepared for evacuation.
Mayon Volcano continued to display restiveness as more lava came out of its summit.
--With Mark Ivan Roblas
[Source]
Legazpi City: The oozing snakelike lava flow from Mount Mayon’s crater has reached 800 meters down slope or just a few kilometers away from the six-kilometer radius of the permanent danger zone. There, up to now, farmers keep on tilling their farms waiting for more definitive signs that the volcano will really explode.
This situation has made the military in Bicol reactivate “Task Force Mayon” to quickly move to rescue people in trouble as soon as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raises the alert to level 4, which demands that all be evacuated out of the danger zone.
Arsenio Arugay, commanding general of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade based in Villahermosa Daraga, Albay, told The Manila Times that it was Lt. Gen. Pedro Cabuay, Southern Luzon commanding general, who reactivated “Task Force Mayon.”
Arugay said an augmentation force of one army battalion will be deployed in Albay.
That force will assist during evacuation with rescue and relief operations as well as provide security in coordination with the Philippine National Police, Arugay said.
Ernesto Corpuz, Phivolcs volcano monitoring eruption chief, told The Times, “Within two weeks a big bang is likely to occur. This is based on the parameters being exhibited by the volcano.”
A continuous stream of incandescent materials toward Bonga gully was observed at the volcano from 6:43 Sunday night until 3:58 Monday morning following the flow of detached materials coming from advancing lava from the summit.
The rolling incandescent materials and advancing lava were accompanied by 314 tremor episodes recorded by the seismic network during the past observation period. This was significantly more than 111 tremor episodes recorded yesterday. No explosive quake has been recorded since 6 this morning.
The sulfur dioxide (S02) emission rate of the volcanic plume was measured at 1,513 tons a day yesterday compared with 2,211 on July 15. The increased seismic activity, relatively fast lava extrusion rate and high S02 reading indicated the heightened unrest of the volcano, which could lead to eruption.
Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Provincial Public Safety and Management Office, told The Times that everything is ready once Mount Mayon blows up.
Daep is constantly meeting with the municipal disaster coordination officials in Albay to countercheck the group’s preparations.
Alert level 3 remains in effect at Mayon, which means that residents within the 8-kilometer-radius PDZ and just beyond the PDZ, especially in the southeast portion facing the Bonga gully, should be vigilant against explosive eruption since major hazards like rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within these areas.
Residents near areas facing the Bonga gully in the southeast portion of the volcano and within 7 kilometers at the crater are advised to be prepared for evacuation.
Mayon Volcano continued to display restiveness as more lava came out of its summit.
--With Mark Ivan Roblas
[Source]
Mayon Ready To Blow
THE flow of lava from Mayon has increased, a sign of greater unrest inside the volcano, officials warned on Sunday.
The increase in the flow of lava has been accompanied by a rise in the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted by Mayon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest advisory.
“One likely scenario is a shift from lava extrusion to explosive eruption,” the institute warned, saying this would be accompanied by deadly mudflows of volcanic ash.
The government is maintaining its six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone around the volcano where no one is supposed to enter, Phivolcs said.
However, local officials and residents said that some farmers were continuing to farm the fertile slopes around Mayon despite the warning.
“Our farmers in the six-kilometer danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption,” said Noel Rosal, the mayor of Legazpi City.
Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals such as boars and snakes were descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were “a bad sign.”
The 2,462-meter volcano, famous for its near-perfect cone shape, began oozing lava on Friday.
Alert level three of the five-step alert system has been in force around Mayon. This means that there is “relatively high unrest” in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The volcano last had a major eruption in July 2001.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have perished when the volcano erupted in 1814.
Phivolcs said the increase in the lava extrusion rate was accompanied by a rise in sulfur dioxide emissions.
The emissions increased from 1,251 tons a day to 2, 211 tons a day as of Sunday, it said.
“The avalanching lava has formed an elongated mass from the summit to about 800 meters down slope,” Phivolcs said.
“At this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone,” it said.
--AFP and Mark Ivan Roblas
[Source]
The increase in the flow of lava has been accompanied by a rise in the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted by Mayon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest advisory.
“One likely scenario is a shift from lava extrusion to explosive eruption,” the institute warned, saying this would be accompanied by deadly mudflows of volcanic ash.
The government is maintaining its six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone around the volcano where no one is supposed to enter, Phivolcs said.
However, local officials and residents said that some farmers were continuing to farm the fertile slopes around Mayon despite the warning.
“Our farmers in the six-kilometer danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption,” said Noel Rosal, the mayor of Legazpi City.
Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals such as boars and snakes were descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were “a bad sign.”
The 2,462-meter volcano, famous for its near-perfect cone shape, began oozing lava on Friday.
Alert level three of the five-step alert system has been in force around Mayon. This means that there is “relatively high unrest” in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The volcano last had a major eruption in July 2001.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have perished when the volcano erupted in 1814.
Phivolcs said the increase in the lava extrusion rate was accompanied by a rise in sulfur dioxide emissions.
The emissions increased from 1,251 tons a day to 2, 211 tons a day as of Sunday, it said.
“The avalanching lava has formed an elongated mass from the summit to about 800 meters down slope,” Phivolcs said.
“At this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow and small rock avalanches all occur within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone,” it said.
--AFP and Mark Ivan Roblas
[Source]
Volcano Puts On A Fiery Display
Mayon’s mild eruption continued at dawn Wednesday, marked by a fiery shower of lava fragments that fell up to four kilometers below the crater.
Rescue officials warned farmers to leave the fertile slopes of the 2,462-meter volcano as it spewed lava for a fifth straight day amid fears of a major eruption.
“We are worried about the people who remain in the permanent danger zone. There are livestock in there as well,” said Angel Capili, Regional Disaster Coordinating Council official, after surveying Mayon from the air early Wednesday.
Capili said the farmers within the zone would be “forcibly” removed from the area if volcanologists determine that an explosive eruption is imminent.
He gave no estimate of the number of people who remain within the seven- kilometer danger zone around the crater.
No evacuations have been ordered outside the zone, but Ed Laguerta, a volcanologist, said an explosive eruption could threaten the lives or properties of up to 70,000 people, including residents on the outskirts of Legazpi City.
“Seismic activity has apparently resumed to high levels,” suggesting lava extrusion and rock falls, the government’s seismology institute said in its latest advisory.
“At this stage Mayon continues its mild eruption with little or no explosions,” it said. “The public, however, is reminded that explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remains high.”
These flows refer to superheated dust and rocks that travel down a volcano’s flanks at great speeds during an explosive eruption.
Mayon is one of 22 active volcanoes in the Philippines. It has erupted 47 times in recorded history, including in 1814, when it buried the town of Cagsawa, killing an estimated 1,000 residents. Mayon’s most recent major eruption was in 2001.
The lava continued to trickle into the Bonga Gully, about halfway up the mountain. At night the lava trickles resembled veins running down Mayon’s slope.
Bonga forms a natural basin for the lava. Once full it could spill over its fiery flow, which could threaten the towns of Santo Domingo and Daraga and the outskirts of Legazpi City.
On Wednesday the provincial council of Albay, led by Vice Governor Jesus Calisin, declared the municipalities of Santo Domingo, Malilipot, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao in a state of calamity.
Along with the lava flow, about 250 tremors were recorded in Mayon Wednesday, about double the number Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs also reported a rise in sulfur-dioxide emission, to 2,157 tons a day Wednesday from 1,513 last Sunday.
Officials had warned a major eruption is likely within weeks.
Alert Level 3 remained in force around the volcano, and the Office of Civil Defense said 1,484 families may be evacuated if the level is raised to 4.
Thirty-five schoolbuildings have been designated as evacuation centers.
--Rhaydz B. Barcia, Julio Munar and AFP
[Source]
Rescue officials warned farmers to leave the fertile slopes of the 2,462-meter volcano as it spewed lava for a fifth straight day amid fears of a major eruption.
“We are worried about the people who remain in the permanent danger zone. There are livestock in there as well,” said Angel Capili, Regional Disaster Coordinating Council official, after surveying Mayon from the air early Wednesday.
Capili said the farmers within the zone would be “forcibly” removed from the area if volcanologists determine that an explosive eruption is imminent.
He gave no estimate of the number of people who remain within the seven- kilometer danger zone around the crater.
No evacuations have been ordered outside the zone, but Ed Laguerta, a volcanologist, said an explosive eruption could threaten the lives or properties of up to 70,000 people, including residents on the outskirts of Legazpi City.
“Seismic activity has apparently resumed to high levels,” suggesting lava extrusion and rock falls, the government’s seismology institute said in its latest advisory.
“At this stage Mayon continues its mild eruption with little or no explosions,” it said. “The public, however, is reminded that explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remains high.”
These flows refer to superheated dust and rocks that travel down a volcano’s flanks at great speeds during an explosive eruption.
Mayon is one of 22 active volcanoes in the Philippines. It has erupted 47 times in recorded history, including in 1814, when it buried the town of Cagsawa, killing an estimated 1,000 residents. Mayon’s most recent major eruption was in 2001.
The lava continued to trickle into the Bonga Gully, about halfway up the mountain. At night the lava trickles resembled veins running down Mayon’s slope.
Bonga forms a natural basin for the lava. Once full it could spill over its fiery flow, which could threaten the towns of Santo Domingo and Daraga and the outskirts of Legazpi City.
On Wednesday the provincial council of Albay, led by Vice Governor Jesus Calisin, declared the municipalities of Santo Domingo, Malilipot, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao in a state of calamity.
Along with the lava flow, about 250 tremors were recorded in Mayon Wednesday, about double the number Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs also reported a rise in sulfur-dioxide emission, to 2,157 tons a day Wednesday from 1,513 last Sunday.
Officials had warned a major eruption is likely within weeks.
Alert Level 3 remained in force around the volcano, and the Office of Civil Defense said 1,484 families may be evacuated if the level is raised to 4.
Thirty-five schoolbuildings have been designated as evacuation centers.
--Rhaydz B. Barcia, Julio Munar and AFP
[Source]
Mayon’s Lahar Could Be Worse Than Pinatubo’s -- Phivolcs
By Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 08:45pm (Mla time) 07/19/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- Mayon Volcano's lahar could be more dangerous than that
of Mt. Pinatubo, which swamped thousands of houses in Central Luzon in 1991, because of Mayon’s big boulders, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said here.
Senior science research specialist and resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said lahar coming from Mayon will likely contain massive boulders, which can crush structures in their path.
Lahar and pyroclastic flows are the two major hazards of a Mayon eruption that Albayanos should brace for, he said.
Laguerta said pyroclastic flows from past eruptions usually affected areas within the six-to-seven-kilometer permanent danger zone only, but there have been instances when they went beyond this area.
"What we have to invest more money (for) prevention is (in) lahar since it is a long term…hazard in any volcano. In Pinatubo, for instance, it took around 10 years before it subsided," Laguerta said.
What is dangerous about lahar, he said, is that it can devastate areas up to 20 kilometers away depending on the volume of volcanic ash deposits and rainfall.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs said lava continued to flow down the Bonga Gully, traveling nearly three kilometers from Mayon’s crater.
Lava fragments detaching from the main flow reached up to a kilometer farther downslope.
Seismic activity remained at high levels and Phivolcs warned that explosions were possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows remained high.
"As time progresses, there is lesser time we have to wait before an explosive eruption occurs," Laguerta said.
Provincial engineer Dante Baclao said that based on their assessment, there were problems in the 35 evacuation centers in eight affected municipalities like faulty roofing, problems in the water system and lack of toilets.
[Source]
Last updated 08:45pm (Mla time) 07/19/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- Mayon Volcano's lahar could be more dangerous than that
of Mt. Pinatubo, which swamped thousands of houses in Central Luzon in 1991, because of Mayon’s big boulders, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said here.
Senior science research specialist and resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said lahar coming from Mayon will likely contain massive boulders, which can crush structures in their path.
Lahar and pyroclastic flows are the two major hazards of a Mayon eruption that Albayanos should brace for, he said.
Laguerta said pyroclastic flows from past eruptions usually affected areas within the six-to-seven-kilometer permanent danger zone only, but there have been instances when they went beyond this area.
"What we have to invest more money (for) prevention is (in) lahar since it is a long term…hazard in any volcano. In Pinatubo, for instance, it took around 10 years before it subsided," Laguerta said.
What is dangerous about lahar, he said, is that it can devastate areas up to 20 kilometers away depending on the volume of volcanic ash deposits and rainfall.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs said lava continued to flow down the Bonga Gully, traveling nearly three kilometers from Mayon’s crater.
Lava fragments detaching from the main flow reached up to a kilometer farther downslope.
Seismic activity remained at high levels and Phivolcs warned that explosions were possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows remained high.
"As time progresses, there is lesser time we have to wait before an explosive eruption occurs," Laguerta said.
Provincial engineer Dante Baclao said that based on their assessment, there were problems in the 35 evacuation centers in eight affected municipalities like faulty roofing, problems in the water system and lack of toilets.
[Source]
Villagers Leave Homes Near Erupting Mayon Volcano
Associated Press
Last updated 11:32am (Mla time) 07/20/2006
LEGAZPI -- Villagers living near the Philippines' Mayon volcano were evacuating or preparing to leave early Thursday, spooked by several ash explosions on the slopes of the lava-spilling mountain.
Mushroom clouds of ash shot up into the sky starting around 7:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Wednesday), sending farmers running for safety as parents took their children home from school.
Eduardo Laguerta, from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the ash clouds were caused by the collapse and disintegration of superheated lava mounds several kilometers (miles) from the crater of the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) volcano.
He said anyone nearby could suffocate or be severely burned.
Lava and red-hot boulders have been trickling down Mayon since it came to life Friday in a "mild and quiet" eruption, which could continue for weeks, volcanologists said.
The government has declared a no-go area in a six-kilometer (3.75-mile) zone around the crater, but several thousands still live and farm within the area and cannot be forced out until there is an official mandatory evacuation order.
Farmer Eladio Echaluce, 85, said he was working in his field at Matanag village on the volcano's southeastern slope, when he heard a shout and saw someone pointing to a cloud of ash.
"When I saw the cloud, I got scared and came down," he said.
Another farmer, Loreto Aydaya, rushed along carrying a sack of vegetables and leading his two water buffalos.
"I was scared because I was about a kilometer (mile) away," he said.
School teacher Jenny Perez said parents rushed to the Matanag Elementary School to get their children.
"I could not do anything, so I just dismissed my class," she said.
Other residents packed bags and kitchen utensils and waited on the roadside or inside their homes for village officials' signal to evacuate.
In Lidong village in nearby Santo Domingo town, some residents were told to leave.
Alvin Rodriguez said he was worried that his family, especially his three young children, would be overwhelmed by the ash fall.
Mayon is one of the Philippines' 22 active volcanos. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
Last updated 11:32am (Mla time) 07/20/2006
LEGAZPI -- Villagers living near the Philippines' Mayon volcano were evacuating or preparing to leave early Thursday, spooked by several ash explosions on the slopes of the lava-spilling mountain.
Mushroom clouds of ash shot up into the sky starting around 7:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Wednesday), sending farmers running for safety as parents took their children home from school.
Eduardo Laguerta, from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the ash clouds were caused by the collapse and disintegration of superheated lava mounds several kilometers (miles) from the crater of the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) volcano.
He said anyone nearby could suffocate or be severely burned.
Lava and red-hot boulders have been trickling down Mayon since it came to life Friday in a "mild and quiet" eruption, which could continue for weeks, volcanologists said.
The government has declared a no-go area in a six-kilometer (3.75-mile) zone around the crater, but several thousands still live and farm within the area and cannot be forced out until there is an official mandatory evacuation order.
Farmer Eladio Echaluce, 85, said he was working in his field at Matanag village on the volcano's southeastern slope, when he heard a shout and saw someone pointing to a cloud of ash.
"When I saw the cloud, I got scared and came down," he said.
Another farmer, Loreto Aydaya, rushed along carrying a sack of vegetables and leading his two water buffalos.
"I was scared because I was about a kilometer (mile) away," he said.
School teacher Jenny Perez said parents rushed to the Matanag Elementary School to get their children.
"I could not do anything, so I just dismissed my class," she said.
Other residents packed bags and kitchen utensils and waited on the roadside or inside their homes for village officials' signal to evacuate.
In Lidong village in nearby Santo Domingo town, some residents were told to leave.
Alvin Rodriguez said he was worried that his family, especially his three young children, would be overwhelmed by the ash fall.
Mayon is one of the Philippines' 22 active volcanos. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
(If Eruption Imminent) Farmers To Be ‘Forcibly’ Evicted From Mayon Danger Zone
Agence France-Presse
Last updated 09:48pm (Mla time) 07/19/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- A disaster official said on Wednesday that farmers still within the seven-kilometer (4.2 mile) danger zone declared around the crater of restive Mayon Volcano in Albay province would be “forcibly” removed from the area if and when volcanologists determine that an explosive eruption is imminent.
"We are worried about the people who remain in the permanent danger zone. There are livestock in there as well," said regional disaster coordinating council official Angel Capili after surveying Mayon from the air early Wednesday.
Rescue officials on Wednesday warned farmers to leave the fertile slopes of the volcano as it spewed lava for a fifth straight day amid fears of a major eruption.
The farmers work on the lower slopes of the cone-shaped, 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) central Philippines mountain thought at risk of an explosive eruption and whose lava flow has lengthened to about three kilometers (1.8 miles).
Capili did not estimate the number of people who remain within the danger zone.
No evacuations have been ordered outside the zone, but volcanologist Ed Laguerta told Agence France-Presse an explosive eruption could threaten the lives or properties of up to 70,000 people, including residents on the outskirts of Legazpi city.
Mayon's mild eruption continued at dawn Wednesday, marked by a fiery shower of lava fragments that fell up to four kilometers (2.4 miles) below the crater.
"Seismic activity apparently resumed to high levels," suggesting lava extrusion and rock falls, the government's seismology institute said in its latest advisory.
"At this stage Mayon continues its mild eruption with little or no explosions," it said.
"The public however is reminded that explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remains high."
These flows refer to superheated dust and rocks that travel down a volcano's flanks at great speeds during an explosive eruption.
Mayon, about 300 kilometers (176 miles) southeast of Manila, is one of 22 active volcanoes in the Philippines.
It has erupted 47 times in recorded history, including in 1814, when it buried the town of Cagsawa killing an estimated 1,000 residents. Mayon's most recent major eruption was in 2001.
[Source]
Last updated 09:48pm (Mla time) 07/19/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- A disaster official said on Wednesday that farmers still within the seven-kilometer (4.2 mile) danger zone declared around the crater of restive Mayon Volcano in Albay province would be “forcibly” removed from the area if and when volcanologists determine that an explosive eruption is imminent.
"We are worried about the people who remain in the permanent danger zone. There are livestock in there as well," said regional disaster coordinating council official Angel Capili after surveying Mayon from the air early Wednesday.
Rescue officials on Wednesday warned farmers to leave the fertile slopes of the volcano as it spewed lava for a fifth straight day amid fears of a major eruption.
The farmers work on the lower slopes of the cone-shaped, 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) central Philippines mountain thought at risk of an explosive eruption and whose lava flow has lengthened to about three kilometers (1.8 miles).
Capili did not estimate the number of people who remain within the danger zone.
No evacuations have been ordered outside the zone, but volcanologist Ed Laguerta told Agence France-Presse an explosive eruption could threaten the lives or properties of up to 70,000 people, including residents on the outskirts of Legazpi city.
Mayon's mild eruption continued at dawn Wednesday, marked by a fiery shower of lava fragments that fell up to four kilometers (2.4 miles) below the crater.
"Seismic activity apparently resumed to high levels," suggesting lava extrusion and rock falls, the government's seismology institute said in its latest advisory.
"At this stage Mayon continues its mild eruption with little or no explosions," it said.
"The public however is reminded that explosions are still very possible and the probability of life-threatening pyroclastic flows resulting from an explosive eruption remains high."
These flows refer to superheated dust and rocks that travel down a volcano's flanks at great speeds during an explosive eruption.
Mayon, about 300 kilometers (176 miles) southeast of Manila, is one of 22 active volcanoes in the Philippines.
It has erupted 47 times in recorded history, including in 1814, when it buried the town of Cagsawa killing an estimated 1,000 residents. Mayon's most recent major eruption was in 2001.
[Source]
Monday, July 17, 2006
Prepare To Evacuate, Mayon Residents Told
By Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 09:17am (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI CITY—Residents near Mt. Mayon have been advised to prepare for evacuation in case volcanic activity intensifies after lava began trickling down its slopes in a “mild and quiet eruption” on Friday.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) raised the volcano’s alert level status from level 1 to level 3 at about 6 p.m. on Friday after observing lava trickles in the southeast quadrant of the volcano.
“The sudden raising of the alert level status was due to the volcano’s rapid change brought about by mild explosions and detaching of volcano fragments,” said Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Phivolcs.
Alert level three means there is “relatively high unrest” in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The 2,474-meter Mt. Mayon, known for its near-perfect cone and one of the country’s 22 active volcanoes, last had a major eruption in July 2001, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. It has erupted about 50 times since 1616.
Phivolcs warned that more explosive eruptions could occur “as gas-rich lavas are expelled” and warned residents to stay away from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ).
On Saturday, officials extended the PDZ to 7 km on the southeastern slope, where most of the molten rocks and other debris have been rolling down since Friday.
Laguerta said the volcano’s southeast quadrant was the most critical area as volcanic flows travel to that direction, affecting areas here and in the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
Evacuation of residents in the highly critical areas will start as soon as Philvolcs raised the alert level to 4, said Cedric Daep, Albay provincial disaster action officer.
Daep said around 7,476 persons or 1,484 families live within the six-kilometer PDZ.
Daep said relief officials were stockpiling food and readying evacuation centers. Daep said groups have been formed to transport evacuees, provide security for abandoned communities, and provide health and sanitation services at the centers.
But officials said they won’t order any evacuation yet as they braced for a possible violent eruption that may take weeks.
“There has been an increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption,” Alejo Baloloy, a Phivolcs science research analyst said, but ruled out a sudden, major eruption.
“Right now, we are on a mild eruption phase, with high frequency tremors attributed to rockfalls by the detached lava from the dome.” He predicted a major eruption could take place “within weeks.”
On the streets of Legazpi City, capital of Albay province close to the volcano, some residents watched as boulders and other debris cascaded from the crater, stirring up brownish-grey clouds of volcanic dust in their wake.
“What is happening now is a mild and quiet type of eruption,” Renato Solidum, chief of Philvolcs said. “What we are watching is the rate by which this magma is being extruded. If it is faster and stronger, it will lead to more hazardous eruptions.”
Laguerta said red-hot boulders, some the size of cars, broke into smaller pieces after being expelled from the crater, piling up about 4 km down the southeastern slope.
On Friday night, a 2-km long streak of lava that looked like “burning embers” was seen slowly snaking down the southeastern slope, said Jukes Nunez, an operations officer with the provincial disaster officer.
Nunez said an eruption warning system was already in place for quick evacuation of nearby communities, and radio stations would also broadcast emergency calls.
“There is no more human activity” within the 6-7-km danger zone as of Saturday, he added.
Mayon’s most violent eruption in 1814 killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where volcanic activities and earthquakes are common.
In June 1991, Mt. Pinatubo exploded in Zambales in one of the world’s biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Last updated 09:17am (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI CITY—Residents near Mt. Mayon have been advised to prepare for evacuation in case volcanic activity intensifies after lava began trickling down its slopes in a “mild and quiet eruption” on Friday.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) raised the volcano’s alert level status from level 1 to level 3 at about 6 p.m. on Friday after observing lava trickles in the southeast quadrant of the volcano.
“The sudden raising of the alert level status was due to the volcano’s rapid change brought about by mild explosions and detaching of volcano fragments,” said Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Phivolcs.
Alert level three means there is “relatively high unrest” in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The 2,474-meter Mt. Mayon, known for its near-perfect cone and one of the country’s 22 active volcanoes, last had a major eruption in July 2001, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. It has erupted about 50 times since 1616.
Phivolcs warned that more explosive eruptions could occur “as gas-rich lavas are expelled” and warned residents to stay away from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ).
On Saturday, officials extended the PDZ to 7 km on the southeastern slope, where most of the molten rocks and other debris have been rolling down since Friday.
Laguerta said the volcano’s southeast quadrant was the most critical area as volcanic flows travel to that direction, affecting areas here and in the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
Evacuation of residents in the highly critical areas will start as soon as Philvolcs raised the alert level to 4, said Cedric Daep, Albay provincial disaster action officer.
Daep said around 7,476 persons or 1,484 families live within the six-kilometer PDZ.
Daep said relief officials were stockpiling food and readying evacuation centers. Daep said groups have been formed to transport evacuees, provide security for abandoned communities, and provide health and sanitation services at the centers.
But officials said they won’t order any evacuation yet as they braced for a possible violent eruption that may take weeks.
“There has been an increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption,” Alejo Baloloy, a Phivolcs science research analyst said, but ruled out a sudden, major eruption.
“Right now, we are on a mild eruption phase, with high frequency tremors attributed to rockfalls by the detached lava from the dome.” He predicted a major eruption could take place “within weeks.”
On the streets of Legazpi City, capital of Albay province close to the volcano, some residents watched as boulders and other debris cascaded from the crater, stirring up brownish-grey clouds of volcanic dust in their wake.
“What is happening now is a mild and quiet type of eruption,” Renato Solidum, chief of Philvolcs said. “What we are watching is the rate by which this magma is being extruded. If it is faster and stronger, it will lead to more hazardous eruptions.”
Laguerta said red-hot boulders, some the size of cars, broke into smaller pieces after being expelled from the crater, piling up about 4 km down the southeastern slope.
On Friday night, a 2-km long streak of lava that looked like “burning embers” was seen slowly snaking down the southeastern slope, said Jukes Nunez, an operations officer with the provincial disaster officer.
Nunez said an eruption warning system was already in place for quick evacuation of nearby communities, and radio stations would also broadcast emergency calls.
“There is no more human activity” within the 6-7-km danger zone as of Saturday, he added.
Mayon’s most violent eruption in 1814 killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people.
The Philippines is in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where volcanic activities and earthquakes are common.
In June 1991, Mt. Pinatubo exploded in Zambales in one of the world’s biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Lava Flow Increasing From Mayon
Agence France-Presse
Last updated 01:46pm (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI--The flow of lava from Mayon volcano has increased, a sign of greater unrest inside the volcano southeast of the Philippine capital, officials warned on Sunday.
The increase in the flow of lava has been accompanied by a rise in the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted by Mayon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest advisory.
"One likely scenario is a shift from lava extrusion to explosive eruption," the institute warned, saying this would be accompanied by deadly mudflows of volcanic ash.
The government is still maintaining its six-kilometer (nearly four-mile) radius permanent danger zone around the volcano where no one is supposed to enter, the institute said.
However local officials and residents said that some farmers were continuing to farm the fertile slopes around Mayon despite the warning.
"Our farmers in the six-kilometer danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption," said Noel Rosal, mayor of Legaspi, the city closest to Mayon.
Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals such as boars and snakes were descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were "a bad sign."
The 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) tall volcano, famous for its near-perfect cone shape, began oozing lava on Friday.
Alert level three of the five-step alert system has been in force around Mayon. This means that there is "relatively high unrest" in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The volcano, about 300 kilometers (176 miles) southeast of Manila, last had a major eruption in July 2001.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have perished when the volcano erupted in 1814.
[Source]
Last updated 01:46pm (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI--The flow of lava from Mayon volcano has increased, a sign of greater unrest inside the volcano southeast of the Philippine capital, officials warned on Sunday.
The increase in the flow of lava has been accompanied by a rise in the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted by Mayon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest advisory.
"One likely scenario is a shift from lava extrusion to explosive eruption," the institute warned, saying this would be accompanied by deadly mudflows of volcanic ash.
The government is still maintaining its six-kilometer (nearly four-mile) radius permanent danger zone around the volcano where no one is supposed to enter, the institute said.
However local officials and residents said that some farmers were continuing to farm the fertile slopes around Mayon despite the warning.
"Our farmers in the six-kilometer danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption," said Noel Rosal, mayor of Legaspi, the city closest to Mayon.
Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals such as boars and snakes were descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were "a bad sign."
The 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) tall volcano, famous for its near-perfect cone shape, began oozing lava on Friday.
Alert level three of the five-step alert system has been in force around Mayon. This means that there is "relatively high unrest" in the volcano with volcanic quakes and tremors expected to become frequent ahead of an eruption.
The volcano, about 300 kilometers (176 miles) southeast of Manila, last had a major eruption in July 2001.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have perished when the volcano erupted in 1814.
[Source]
Mayon Displays Increasing Unrest
By Gil Francis G. Arevalo, Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer, Associated Press)
Last updated 04:13pm (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI CITY--(UPDATE) During the past 24-hour observation period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday noted a significant increase in the bulge of advancing lava at Mt. Mayon, causing lava flows to roll down to a distance of about 800 meters from the summit.
The Phivolcs said it was a clear indication of the volcano's increasing unrest.
According to Eduardo Laguerta, senior science research specialist and resident volcanologist of the Phivolcs here, the increase in the lava's extrusion rate is a sign that a greater pressure inside the volcano is at work at an increasing momentum.
Only one minor explosion occurred at 2:47 p.m. on Saturday.
The increase, in the lava extrusion rate was also accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions--from the previous 1,251 tons per day to about 2,221 tons per day--measured Saturday morning, the Phivolcs said on Sunday.
The latest Phivolcs bulletin said that at this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow, and small rock avalanches all occurred within the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), which according to the Office of Civil Defense here, covers 5 municipalities and 10 villages with a population of 3,004 families or 15,825 persons.
Laguerta said the Phivolcs was keeping close watch on the volcano's southeast quadrant, which is the highly critical area as it is the direction where lava and other volcanic emissions go, covering areas here and in the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
Laguerta said there is a big possibility of raising the alert level near Mt. Mayon to four on a five-level alert scale if tremor episodes related to large rock masses detached from the lava flow will continue within the next few days.
He said the latest volcanic activities are indicators of a high probability that there would be a major eruption.
On the streets of this city, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, residents watched boulders and other debris cascading from the crater, raising brownish-gray clouds of dust.
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79.
An eruption warning system is already in place for the quick evacuation of nearby communities, and radio stations have been told to broadcast emergency calls, said Jukes Nunez, an operations officer with the provincial disaster officer.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo exploded in the northern Philippines in one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Last updated 04:13pm (Mla time) 07/16/2006
LEGAZPI CITY--(UPDATE) During the past 24-hour observation period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday noted a significant increase in the bulge of advancing lava at Mt. Mayon, causing lava flows to roll down to a distance of about 800 meters from the summit.
The Phivolcs said it was a clear indication of the volcano's increasing unrest.
According to Eduardo Laguerta, senior science research specialist and resident volcanologist of the Phivolcs here, the increase in the lava's extrusion rate is a sign that a greater pressure inside the volcano is at work at an increasing momentum.
Only one minor explosion occurred at 2:47 p.m. on Saturday.
The increase, in the lava extrusion rate was also accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions--from the previous 1,251 tons per day to about 2,221 tons per day--measured Saturday morning, the Phivolcs said on Sunday.
The latest Phivolcs bulletin said that at this stage, except for ashfalls, the major hazards of rockfalls, lava flow, and small rock avalanches all occurred within the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), which according to the Office of Civil Defense here, covers 5 municipalities and 10 villages with a population of 3,004 families or 15,825 persons.
Laguerta said the Phivolcs was keeping close watch on the volcano's southeast quadrant, which is the highly critical area as it is the direction where lava and other volcanic emissions go, covering areas here and in the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
Laguerta said there is a big possibility of raising the alert level near Mt. Mayon to four on a five-level alert scale if tremor episodes related to large rock masses detached from the lava flow will continue within the next few days.
He said the latest volcanic activities are indicators of a high probability that there would be a major eruption.
On the streets of this city, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, residents watched boulders and other debris cascading from the crater, raising brownish-gray clouds of dust.
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79.
An eruption warning system is already in place for the quick evacuation of nearby communities, and radio stations have been told to broadcast emergency calls, said Jukes Nunez, an operations officer with the provincial disaster officer.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo exploded in the northern Philippines in one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Fireworks Show Keeps Mayon Villagers Awake
By Gil Francis G. Arevalo, Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 02:28am (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGAZPI CITY--FLAMING LAVA AND rocks cascaded down the slopes of Mount Mayon, raising risks of a major eruption and putting thousands of villagers on high alert for evacuation.
"If the activities continued in the next few days, we may upgrade the alert level to 4, which means a hazardous eruption is imminent within hours to days," resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said after the volcano gave a frightening "fireworks display" on Saturday night.
"From 6 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday, our instruments recorded a total of 111 volcanic tremors, a significant increase from Friday to Saturday's 22," he told Reuters.
An estimated 60,000 people in Albay would be evacuated in the event of a major eruption, disaster officials said.
Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals, such as boars and snakes, had begun descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were "a bad sign."
Residents in Barangay Padang here feared there would be more lava explosions.
"Mayon appears to be ready to explode but wants to hold everybody in suspense, which is more frightening for us," villager Elvie Echaluce said. "We don't know what will happen next--but we're ready to evacuate anytime."
Jose Mirafuentes, 41, of Barangay Matnog in neighboring Daraga, said that for two days now, he had been awakened by rumbling sounds at night, despite his having drunk more than enough liquor to knock him out.
No sleep
"It was louder on Saturday night to early Sunday morning. I could not sleep anymore," said Mirafuentes, who lives in a village right at the foot of the 2,474-meter mountain, one of the country's 22 active volcanoes.
Mirafuentes was specially worried about his neighbor, Salvador, who was still up in the volcano, making copra. Fortunately, Salvador returned home early morning yesterday.
During the past 24-hour observation period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) noted a significant increase in the bulge of advancing lava, which rolled down to a distance of about 800 meters from the summit.
Phivolcs said it was a clear indication of the volcano's mounting unrest.
Danger zone
Laguerta said the increase in the rate of the lava flow showed greater pressure at work inside the volcano.
The increase in the lava extrusion rate was accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions--from the previous 1,251 tons per day to 2,221 tons--as measured Saturday morning, Phivolcs said.
Its latest bulletin said the lava flows and rock avalanches all occurred within the 6-km radius permanent danger zone, which covers parts of five municipalities with a total population of 3,000 families, or 15,825 people.
Southeast slopes
Laguerta said Phivolcs was keeping close watch on the volcano's southeastern slopes, believed to be the most highly critical area as it is in that direction where lava and other volcanic emissions go.
The area covers some parts of Legazpi and the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
The danger zone was extended to 7 km on the southeastern slopes on Saturday.
Alert Level 3 has been up since Friday night, which means that volcanic quakes and tremor may become more frequent, the emission of sulfur dioxide may increase.
Alert levels
Laguerta said there was a big possibility of the alert level being raised to 4 if tremors continued within the next few days.
At alert level 3, a dangerous hazardous explosion is considered possible; at 4, it is seen as likely, and at 5, the highest alert, an eruption has occurred with lava flows or ash columns reaching 6 km.
Laguerta said the latest volcanic activities indicated a high probability that there would be a major eruption.
"The development of its activity is quite disturbing for the past days," Laguerta said. "That's why our monitoring is now becoming more critical as far as the contingency plans of the local governments and the OCD (Office of Civil Defense) are concerned."
Watching the fireworks
On the streets of Legazpi, residents watched rocks and other debris cascading from the crater, raising brownish-gray clouds of dust.
The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council is already coordinating with concerned agencies on the possible evacuation of people residing in barangays Bonga, Padang and Buyuan.
PDCC operating officer Cedric Daep said all concerned areas had been advised of contingency measures.
An eruption warning system is already in place for the quick evacuation of threatened communities, and radio stations have been told to broadcast emergency calls, said operations officer Jukes Nuñez.
Appeals from officials
Gov. Fernando Gonzales renewed his call on those living within the 6-km danger zone to evacuate to avoid possible casualties.
Mayor Rosal advised residents within the zone to gather their livestock and cattle in a safe place as part of evacuation preparations.
"Our farmers in the danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption," he said.
Mayon started spilling lava and debris on Friday in what some volcanologists said was the beginning of a silent eruption.
Violent history
A series of eruptions also shook the volcano in 2001, forcing 50,000 people to flee.
Mayon has erupted about 50 times since 1616. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. A 1993 blast killed 79 people.
The Philippines lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activities and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
Last updated 02:28am (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGAZPI CITY--FLAMING LAVA AND rocks cascaded down the slopes of Mount Mayon, raising risks of a major eruption and putting thousands of villagers on high alert for evacuation.
"If the activities continued in the next few days, we may upgrade the alert level to 4, which means a hazardous eruption is imminent within hours to days," resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said after the volcano gave a frightening "fireworks display" on Saturday night.
"From 6 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday, our instruments recorded a total of 111 volcanic tremors, a significant increase from Friday to Saturday's 22," he told Reuters.
An estimated 60,000 people in Albay would be evacuated in the event of a major eruption, disaster officials said.
Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal said in a radio interview that even wild animals, such as boars and snakes, had begun descending from Mayon and that springs on the lower slopes of the mountain were drying up, all of which were "a bad sign."
Residents in Barangay Padang here feared there would be more lava explosions.
"Mayon appears to be ready to explode but wants to hold everybody in suspense, which is more frightening for us," villager Elvie Echaluce said. "We don't know what will happen next--but we're ready to evacuate anytime."
Jose Mirafuentes, 41, of Barangay Matnog in neighboring Daraga, said that for two days now, he had been awakened by rumbling sounds at night, despite his having drunk more than enough liquor to knock him out.
No sleep
"It was louder on Saturday night to early Sunday morning. I could not sleep anymore," said Mirafuentes, who lives in a village right at the foot of the 2,474-meter mountain, one of the country's 22 active volcanoes.
Mirafuentes was specially worried about his neighbor, Salvador, who was still up in the volcano, making copra. Fortunately, Salvador returned home early morning yesterday.
During the past 24-hour observation period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) noted a significant increase in the bulge of advancing lava, which rolled down to a distance of about 800 meters from the summit.
Phivolcs said it was a clear indication of the volcano's mounting unrest.
Danger zone
Laguerta said the increase in the rate of the lava flow showed greater pressure at work inside the volcano.
The increase in the lava extrusion rate was accompanied by an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions--from the previous 1,251 tons per day to 2,221 tons--as measured Saturday morning, Phivolcs said.
Its latest bulletin said the lava flows and rock avalanches all occurred within the 6-km radius permanent danger zone, which covers parts of five municipalities with a total population of 3,000 families, or 15,825 people.
Southeast slopes
Laguerta said Phivolcs was keeping close watch on the volcano's southeastern slopes, believed to be the most highly critical area as it is in that direction where lava and other volcanic emissions go.
The area covers some parts of Legazpi and the towns of Sto. Domingo and Daraga.
The danger zone was extended to 7 km on the southeastern slopes on Saturday.
Alert Level 3 has been up since Friday night, which means that volcanic quakes and tremor may become more frequent, the emission of sulfur dioxide may increase.
Alert levels
Laguerta said there was a big possibility of the alert level being raised to 4 if tremors continued within the next few days.
At alert level 3, a dangerous hazardous explosion is considered possible; at 4, it is seen as likely, and at 5, the highest alert, an eruption has occurred with lava flows or ash columns reaching 6 km.
Laguerta said the latest volcanic activities indicated a high probability that there would be a major eruption.
"The development of its activity is quite disturbing for the past days," Laguerta said. "That's why our monitoring is now becoming more critical as far as the contingency plans of the local governments and the OCD (Office of Civil Defense) are concerned."
Watching the fireworks
On the streets of Legazpi, residents watched rocks and other debris cascading from the crater, raising brownish-gray clouds of dust.
The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council is already coordinating with concerned agencies on the possible evacuation of people residing in barangays Bonga, Padang and Buyuan.
PDCC operating officer Cedric Daep said all concerned areas had been advised of contingency measures.
An eruption warning system is already in place for the quick evacuation of threatened communities, and radio stations have been told to broadcast emergency calls, said operations officer Jukes Nuñez.
Appeals from officials
Gov. Fernando Gonzales renewed his call on those living within the 6-km danger zone to evacuate to avoid possible casualties.
Mayor Rosal advised residents within the zone to gather their livestock and cattle in a safe place as part of evacuation preparations.
"Our farmers in the danger zone should stop for awhile and not enter there because we never know what will happen. There could be a sudden eruption," he said.
Mayon started spilling lava and debris on Friday in what some volcanologists said was the beginning of a silent eruption.
Violent history
A series of eruptions also shook the volcano in 2001, forcing 50,000 people to flee.
Mayon has erupted about 50 times since 1616. Its most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried an entire town in volcanic mud. A 1993 blast killed 79 people.
The Philippines lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where volcanic activities and earthquakes are common.
[Source]
Gov't Prepared In Event Of Major Mayon Eruption, Says Bunye
BY Christine O. Avendano (Inquirer)
Last updated 07:14am (Mla time) 07/17/2006
WITH PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo away on a state visit to Libya, Malacañang yesterday gave assurances that the government was ready for any contingency should Mount Mayon unleash a major eruption.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the National Disaster Coordinating Council and the local government units were "on top of all disaster preparedness measures to ensure the safety of the residents who may be directly affected by the volcanic activity."
"We appeal to residents and travelers to adhere to the off-limit zones and to abide by the contingency measures being implemented by authorities," Bunye said in a statement.
"Preparedness and coordination between the concerned government agencies, the local government units, as well as the communities in the area would be the key in maintaining zero-casualty in the event that a major eruption occurs," he said.
[Source]
Last updated 07:14am (Mla time) 07/17/2006
WITH PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo away on a state visit to Libya, Malacañang yesterday gave assurances that the government was ready for any contingency should Mount Mayon unleash a major eruption.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the National Disaster Coordinating Council and the local government units were "on top of all disaster preparedness measures to ensure the safety of the residents who may be directly affected by the volcanic activity."
"We appeal to residents and travelers to adhere to the off-limit zones and to abide by the contingency measures being implemented by authorities," Bunye said in a statement.
"Preparedness and coordination between the concerned government agencies, the local government units, as well as the communities in the area would be the key in maintaining zero-casualty in the event that a major eruption occurs," he said.
[Source]
Thieves Cut Phivolcs Communications Amid Mayon Watch
By Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 01:53pm (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGASPI CITY - Still unidentified thieves made off with the communications cables of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), cutting the agency’s phone communications here for hours even as it continued to monitor restive Mayon Volcano.
"This has happened thrice already since May this year. What these robbers don't realize is that they are toying with public safety with what they are doing," said Alex Baloloy, Phivolcs science research analyst.
Phivolcs has been keeping close tabs on Mayon since it began spewing lava last Friday. Activity of the volcano, famed for its near-perfect cone, increased over the weekend, leading scientists to warn of an impending eruption.
Baloloy said the wires were stolen at around 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. from the Phivolcs observatory.
However, no one witnessed the incident at the facility, which is in a secluded area on Ligñon Hill in Tagas village, Daraga town.
Phone communications were restored only Sunday night when the Digitel Telephone Company replaced the stolen wires.
An angry Albay Governor Fernando Gonzales immediately ordered the provincial police to investigate the matter.
"Certainly, there was a lapse in law enforcement," Gonzales said.
Early this year, two seismometers of Phivolcs were also stolen.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs recorded 314 tremor episodes over the last 24-hours, significantly higher than the previous period’s 111.
Baloloy said this could indicate an increase in the ascension level of magma within the volcano and more burning volcanic rocks coming out from Mayon’s crater.
[Source]
Last updated 01:53pm (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGASPI CITY - Still unidentified thieves made off with the communications cables of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), cutting the agency’s phone communications here for hours even as it continued to monitor restive Mayon Volcano.
"This has happened thrice already since May this year. What these robbers don't realize is that they are toying with public safety with what they are doing," said Alex Baloloy, Phivolcs science research analyst.
Phivolcs has been keeping close tabs on Mayon since it began spewing lava last Friday. Activity of the volcano, famed for its near-perfect cone, increased over the weekend, leading scientists to warn of an impending eruption.
Baloloy said the wires were stolen at around 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. from the Phivolcs observatory.
However, no one witnessed the incident at the facility, which is in a secluded area on Ligñon Hill in Tagas village, Daraga town.
Phone communications were restored only Sunday night when the Digitel Telephone Company replaced the stolen wires.
An angry Albay Governor Fernando Gonzales immediately ordered the provincial police to investigate the matter.
"Certainly, there was a lapse in law enforcement," Gonzales said.
Early this year, two seismometers of Phivolcs were also stolen.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs recorded 314 tremor episodes over the last 24-hours, significantly higher than the previous period’s 111.
Baloloy said this could indicate an increase in the ascension level of magma within the volcano and more burning volcanic rocks coming out from Mayon’s crater.
[Source]
Mayon Volcano Eruption Seen As Lava, Tremors Increase
By Bullit Marquez (Associated Press)
Last updated 05:54pm (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGASPI CITY -- (UPDATE) Red-hot lava poured down the slopes of Mayon volcano, accompanied by more tremors, for the fourth straight day Monday, indicating an explosive eruption may occur soon, scientists said.
The government, meanwhile, assured residents that evacuation plans were in place in case of a major eruption, although authorities for time being ruled out raising the alert level from two notches below the highest.
The silent, steady flow of lava and debris on the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) mountain, famous for its near-perfect cone, has reached 800 meters (2,624 feet) down the summit since Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Gleaming in the dark and steaming during the day, the advancing lava and cascading rocks were accompanied by 314 tremors in the past 24 hours, significantly higher than the 111 tremors the previous day, the institute said.
"The increased seismic activity, relatively fast lava extrusion rate and high sulfur dioxide emission rate indicate heightened unrest of the volcano, which could lead to explosive eruption," it said.
Officials had earlier estimated a hazardous eruption could occur within weeks.
Authorities have extended a six-kilometer (3.7-mile) danger zone around the peak of the volcano to seven kilometers (four miles) on the southeastern slope, where most of the lava and other debris have been rolling down.
On the streets of Legaspi City, the capital of Albay province near the volcano, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, it was business as usual as people went about their lives.
In the evenings, residents and tourists gathered at a hillside to gaze at the flowing lava.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Monday the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local authorities "are on top of all disaster preparedness measures to ensure the safety of the residents who may be directly affected by the volcanic activity."
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo exploded in the northern Philippines in one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Last updated 05:54pm (Mla time) 07/17/2006
LEGASPI CITY -- (UPDATE) Red-hot lava poured down the slopes of Mayon volcano, accompanied by more tremors, for the fourth straight day Monday, indicating an explosive eruption may occur soon, scientists said.
The government, meanwhile, assured residents that evacuation plans were in place in case of a major eruption, although authorities for time being ruled out raising the alert level from two notches below the highest.
The silent, steady flow of lava and debris on the 2,474-meter (8,118-foot) mountain, famous for its near-perfect cone, has reached 800 meters (2,624 feet) down the summit since Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Gleaming in the dark and steaming during the day, the advancing lava and cascading rocks were accompanied by 314 tremors in the past 24 hours, significantly higher than the 111 tremors the previous day, the institute said.
"The increased seismic activity, relatively fast lava extrusion rate and high sulfur dioxide emission rate indicate heightened unrest of the volcano, which could lead to explosive eruption," it said.
Officials had earlier estimated a hazardous eruption could occur within weeks.
Authorities have extended a six-kilometer (3.7-mile) danger zone around the peak of the volcano to seven kilometers (four miles) on the southeastern slope, where most of the lava and other debris have been rolling down.
On the streets of Legaspi City, the capital of Albay province near the volcano, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, it was business as usual as people went about their lives.
In the evenings, residents and tourists gathered at a hillside to gaze at the flowing lava.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Monday the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local authorities "are on top of all disaster preparedness measures to ensure the safety of the residents who may be directly affected by the volcanic activity."
Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town in mud. A 1993 eruption killed 79.
The Philippines is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo exploded in the northern Philippines in one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.
[Source]
Phivolcs Cable Wires Stolen As Mayon Blows Hot
By Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 03:12am (Mla time) 07/18/2006
LEGAZPI CITY—Cable wires of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology here were again stolen by unidentified men, disrupting communications from and to the Phivolcs office just as it monitored lava flow from Mayon Volcano.
Alex Baloloy, Phivolcs science research analyst, said the wires were stolen between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., but no one saw the theft. The observatory is at a secluded area at the Ligñon Hill in Barangay Tagas in Daraga town.
The phone line was restored when Digitel Telephone Co. immediately replaced the stolen wires.
“This has happened thrice already since May. What these robbers don’t realize is that they are toying with public safety with what they are doing,” Baloloy said.
An angry Gov. Fernando Gonzales immediately ordered the provincial police to investigate and come out with positive results in 24 hours.
“Certainly, there was a lapse in law enforcement,” Gonzales said.
“Some unscrupulous people don’t realize that they are putting lives in danger, including theirs.”
Early this year, two seismometers of the Phivolcs were stolen.
One was returned after the robbers heard the Phivolcs’ appeal over radio for the return of the instrument because it was needed to monitor ground movements related to volcanic activities.
The Phivolcs has recorded 314 quakes generated by Mayon’s activity from a previous 111. This indicates magma rising and burning volcanic rocks coming out, Baloloy said.
Less emission of sulfur dioxide—a sign of clogging inside the volcano—was also noted.
“If the pressure continues to rise and there is clogging within the volcano, it might lead to an explosion,” Baloloy said.
The latest Phivolcs bulletin noted “heightened unrest in the volcano which could lead to an explosive eruption” based on an increase in seismic activity and lava flow.
People within the 6-km-radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) and even those beyond, especially in the southeast portion facing the Bonga Gully, should be on a high level of alert, the Phivolcs said.
Phivolcs has maintained alert level 3 since Friday night in the 2,474-meter Mayon, which is known for its near-perfect cone. It is also one of the country’s 22 active volcanos.
[Source]
Last updated 03:12am (Mla time) 07/18/2006
LEGAZPI CITY—Cable wires of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology here were again stolen by unidentified men, disrupting communications from and to the Phivolcs office just as it monitored lava flow from Mayon Volcano.
Alex Baloloy, Phivolcs science research analyst, said the wires were stolen between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., but no one saw the theft. The observatory is at a secluded area at the Ligñon Hill in Barangay Tagas in Daraga town.
The phone line was restored when Digitel Telephone Co. immediately replaced the stolen wires.
“This has happened thrice already since May. What these robbers don’t realize is that they are toying with public safety with what they are doing,” Baloloy said.
An angry Gov. Fernando Gonzales immediately ordered the provincial police to investigate and come out with positive results in 24 hours.
“Certainly, there was a lapse in law enforcement,” Gonzales said.
“Some unscrupulous people don’t realize that they are putting lives in danger, including theirs.”
Early this year, two seismometers of the Phivolcs were stolen.
One was returned after the robbers heard the Phivolcs’ appeal over radio for the return of the instrument because it was needed to monitor ground movements related to volcanic activities.
The Phivolcs has recorded 314 quakes generated by Mayon’s activity from a previous 111. This indicates magma rising and burning volcanic rocks coming out, Baloloy said.
Less emission of sulfur dioxide—a sign of clogging inside the volcano—was also noted.
“If the pressure continues to rise and there is clogging within the volcano, it might lead to an explosion,” Baloloy said.
The latest Phivolcs bulletin noted “heightened unrest in the volcano which could lead to an explosive eruption” based on an increase in seismic activity and lava flow.
People within the 6-km-radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) and even those beyond, especially in the southeast portion facing the Bonga Gully, should be on a high level of alert, the Phivolcs said.
Phivolcs has maintained alert level 3 since Friday night in the 2,474-meter Mayon, which is known for its near-perfect cone. It is also one of the country’s 22 active volcanos.
[Source]
Mayon Rumbling Continues; Villagers Recall 1993 Blast
By Ephraim Aguilar (Inquirer)
Last updated 01:44am (Mla time) 07/18/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- There is not a sign of fear in their faces as they go about their simple ways of living. But the villagers of Bonga have known the terror of living in the shadow of one of the Philippines’ killer volcanoes.
Village secretary Carmen Azul still vividly remembers what happened to her neighbors when Mount Mayon erupted in 1993.
“I heard the people yelling, I thought there was a street fight, until I saw people covered with ash, their skins burned,” she told the Inquirer.
“They had come from the foot of the volcano to farm or tend to their livestock. Some were still alive when I saw them but they were crying in pain because of their burns.”
The others were beyond care.
“They were already stiff and dead,” Azul said. “I was just thankful my husband did not go out to farm that day and just stayed home.”
The ghastly memories came back to Azul yesterday as the 2,474-meter volcano continued to rumble and scientists warned of the danger of another possibly major blast.
Besides the increased seismic activity from Mayon, volcanologists also noted that the stream of lava from the summit had rolled 800 meters down from the summit.
One also could not see any trace of concern in the faces of Bonga’s children but they also knew of the danger of living close to Mayon, some 7 km away from their village.
Their parents had told them what it was like.
“It is dangerous … If it explodes, we will leave this place and go to Gogon (a designated evacuation center),” 7-year-old Jessa said as she played with other kids on a dusty road.
Me-Ann, another child, said she would run as fast and as far as her legs would carry her. She said her mother had told her of what happened in 1993.
Benjamin Esquivel, village chief of Bonga, recalled the eruption was so sudden that the villagers did not have time to prepare.
Many farmers, including Esquivel’s two brothers, were working on the fields when they were hit by a mass of fiery ash from the volcano’s summit.
They died because of serious burns, he said.
79 dead
The eruption killed a total of 79 villagers, mostly farmers who were planting coconuts, vegetables and root crops at the foot of the volcano when it exploded.
“The main livelihood of the people here is farming. The farmers cultivate soil at the foot of the Mayon because the soil there is very fertile. It lessens their cost of production since they no longer need so much artificial fertilizer,” said Antonio Alcera, head of Barangay Mabinit, one of the danger areas at the foot of Mayon.
Based on Office of Civil Defense reports, as of March, there were 4,343 farmers living immediately outside the 6-km-radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) but continued to farm within the zone.
Said Alcera: “The farmers here are worried that because of the ongoing eruption, their crops will be destroyed. In 1993, the plantations were devastated by the series of ash falls, robbing the farmers of their source of living.”
Remembered lessons
Though women in the village are into weaving, farming remains the main source of income for the 400 households in Barangay Matanag.
In Bonga, Esquivel said the 1993 eruption taught villagers some important lessons which they have not forgotten.
“On their own initiative, the farmers are now careful not to enter the high-risk areas, planting in safer fields far from where the 1993 tragedy happened,” Esquivel said.
Nature’s signs
Villagers cling to their traditional beliefs about the signs of an imminent eruption.
“One of the common signs here is when the wells in the village dry up. It is also usually hot, even if it’s windy,” Azul said.
Old folks believe a change in the behavior of animals in the volcano’s forest also portends that an eruption is coming, according to Esquivel.
Birds, snakes and other wild animals have been observed to leave the volcano’s slopes when an eruption is near. They are believed to be able to feel the volcano’s restiveness, which makes them feel uneasy and prompts them to travel downslope.
Preparedness
The village chieftains of Bonga and Matanag said they were aware of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council’s evacuation scheme.
“I have advised the people to prepare the basic things they have to bring just in case the alert level is raised to four. We already know our designated evacuation center. We just have to be watchful all the time,” Alcera said.
Alcera said that if the situation worsened, nobody would want to be left in the village even if it meant giving up their livelihood.
“Who would want the 1993 tragedy to happen again?” Azul said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said it had recorded 314 tremors in the last 24 hours up to 6 a.m. yesterday, significantly higher than the 111 tremors monitored Sunday.
“Residents in areas facing the Bonga gully in the southeast portion of the volcano and within 7 kilometers of the crater are advised to be prepared for evacuation,” Phivolcs said in a bulletin issued yesterday.
It advised residents near the Bonga gully to be vigilant against hazardous explosions that could cause lava flows and small rock avalanches.
[Source]
Last updated 01:44am (Mla time) 07/18/2006
LEGAZPI CITY -- There is not a sign of fear in their faces as they go about their simple ways of living. But the villagers of Bonga have known the terror of living in the shadow of one of the Philippines’ killer volcanoes.
Village secretary Carmen Azul still vividly remembers what happened to her neighbors when Mount Mayon erupted in 1993.
“I heard the people yelling, I thought there was a street fight, until I saw people covered with ash, their skins burned,” she told the Inquirer.
“They had come from the foot of the volcano to farm or tend to their livestock. Some were still alive when I saw them but they were crying in pain because of their burns.”
The others were beyond care.
“They were already stiff and dead,” Azul said. “I was just thankful my husband did not go out to farm that day and just stayed home.”
The ghastly memories came back to Azul yesterday as the 2,474-meter volcano continued to rumble and scientists warned of the danger of another possibly major blast.
Besides the increased seismic activity from Mayon, volcanologists also noted that the stream of lava from the summit had rolled 800 meters down from the summit.
One also could not see any trace of concern in the faces of Bonga’s children but they also knew of the danger of living close to Mayon, some 7 km away from their village.
Their parents had told them what it was like.
“It is dangerous … If it explodes, we will leave this place and go to Gogon (a designated evacuation center),” 7-year-old Jessa said as she played with other kids on a dusty road.
Me-Ann, another child, said she would run as fast and as far as her legs would carry her. She said her mother had told her of what happened in 1993.
Benjamin Esquivel, village chief of Bonga, recalled the eruption was so sudden that the villagers did not have time to prepare.
Many farmers, including Esquivel’s two brothers, were working on the fields when they were hit by a mass of fiery ash from the volcano’s summit.
They died because of serious burns, he said.
79 dead
The eruption killed a total of 79 villagers, mostly farmers who were planting coconuts, vegetables and root crops at the foot of the volcano when it exploded.
“The main livelihood of the people here is farming. The farmers cultivate soil at the foot of the Mayon because the soil there is very fertile. It lessens their cost of production since they no longer need so much artificial fertilizer,” said Antonio Alcera, head of Barangay Mabinit, one of the danger areas at the foot of Mayon.
Based on Office of Civil Defense reports, as of March, there were 4,343 farmers living immediately outside the 6-km-radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) but continued to farm within the zone.
Said Alcera: “The farmers here are worried that because of the ongoing eruption, their crops will be destroyed. In 1993, the plantations were devastated by the series of ash falls, robbing the farmers of their source of living.”
Remembered lessons
Though women in the village are into weaving, farming remains the main source of income for the 400 households in Barangay Matanag.
In Bonga, Esquivel said the 1993 eruption taught villagers some important lessons which they have not forgotten.
“On their own initiative, the farmers are now careful not to enter the high-risk areas, planting in safer fields far from where the 1993 tragedy happened,” Esquivel said.
Nature’s signs
Villagers cling to their traditional beliefs about the signs of an imminent eruption.
“One of the common signs here is when the wells in the village dry up. It is also usually hot, even if it’s windy,” Azul said.
Old folks believe a change in the behavior of animals in the volcano’s forest also portends that an eruption is coming, according to Esquivel.
Birds, snakes and other wild animals have been observed to leave the volcano’s slopes when an eruption is near. They are believed to be able to feel the volcano’s restiveness, which makes them feel uneasy and prompts them to travel downslope.
Preparedness
The village chieftains of Bonga and Matanag said they were aware of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council’s evacuation scheme.
“I have advised the people to prepare the basic things they have to bring just in case the alert level is raised to four. We already know our designated evacuation center. We just have to be watchful all the time,” Alcera said.
Alcera said that if the situation worsened, nobody would want to be left in the village even if it meant giving up their livelihood.
“Who would want the 1993 tragedy to happen again?” Azul said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said it had recorded 314 tremors in the last 24 hours up to 6 a.m. yesterday, significantly higher than the 111 tremors monitored Sunday.
“Residents in areas facing the Bonga gully in the southeast portion of the volcano and within 7 kilometers of the crater are advised to be prepared for evacuation,” Phivolcs said in a bulletin issued yesterday.
It advised residents near the Bonga gully to be vigilant against hazardous explosions that could cause lava flows and small rock avalanches.
[Source]
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