THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday said it is on “heightened monitoring” after the alert status of Mayon Volcano in Albay was raised to Level 2 last Friday.
During the “Laging Handa” public briefing, NDRRMC spokesman Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said responders are preparing resources so they will be ready to respond in case the situation worsens.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest) at Mayon Volcano last Friday, from Level 1 (abnormal), saying it Phivolcs said it monitored “continued seismic growth of its (Mayon’s) lava dome.
It also said Level 2 means there is “current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.”
“Mayon is under Alert Level 2 so we are on heightened monitoring, we are monitoring its activities,” said Alejandro.
“We need to ensure that our responders or LGUs (local government units) for that matter are ready so we can react in case (the alert level) is further elevated or there will be further (volcanic) activities,” he said.
Alejandro said the first responders will have to revisit their contingency plan, stockpile resources, and conduct early assessment while the volcano is still under Alert Level 2.
He said Phivolcs, which is a member of the NDRRMC, is monitoring magmatic and volcanic activities of Mayon Volcano. He noted that phreatic eruption is possible under Alert Level 2.
Alejandro said local authorities should be strict in ensuring people are not inside the six-kilometer danger zone.
