THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday said there was still no need raise Mayon Volcano’s alert status to Level 3, following the volcano’s phreatic or steam-drive eruption last Sunday.
Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said no similar phreatic eruption has been recorded since last Sunday’s event.
The phreatic eruption that lasted for about three minutes produced a 1,200-meter-high plume which drifted southwest. Bacolcol said no volcanic ash reached populated areas.
“We have also not recorded volcanic earthquakes. For the fourth day now, since February 1, we have not recorded (volcanic quakes). This is good, meaning there is no magma that’s rising,” he said in a TV interview.
A phreatic eruption occurs when hot materials come in contact with water.
“It’s not as violent as the magmatic eruption but it can still send ash and rocks into the air,” said Bacolcol.
Bacolcol said the phreatic eruption is not a cause for alarm for residents near Mayon Volcano in Albay.
“So far, there are no indications that warrant the raising of the alert level, from 2 to 3,” said Bacolcol.
At the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing, Bacolcol said one volcanic earthquake was recorded in the past four days.
He also said Sunday’s phreatic eruption is not an indication or sign of a violent eruption.
“It’s not also an indication we need to raise the alert level, from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3,” he said.
Bacolcol said the public should refrain from going inside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone “because of the danger of rock falls, there is also a possibility of landslides.”
“Just like what happened yesterday (Sunday), there was a sudden phreatic eruption and this may lead to pyroclastic density current events,” he said.
