Mayon Volcano now on Alert Level 4, major eruption forecast within days
As of 2:30 p.m. today, December 20, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised the warning for Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 3 to Alert level 4. This indicates that a major Mayon eruption won’t happen by New Year, as earlier predicted. Phivolcs now says a “hazardous explosive eruption is now possible within days.”
As a result, the government’s seismic and volcano agency has further extended the danger zone to 8 kilometers from the summit at the southern sector and 7 km at the northern sector.
As of today, Phivolcs reported increased activity in Mayon, consisting of 222 volcanic quakes plus an explosion-type earthquake with grayish ash column that reached a height of 500 meters above the summit.
The Phivolcs bulletin added that advancing lava flow has now reached 4.5 kilometers downslope from the crater.
Sulfur dioxide emissions have also significantly increased from 2,034 tons per day to 7,024 tons per day and this could increase further. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, its sulfur dioxide emissions had reached 10,000 tons per day.
We’ll be closely monitoring Mayon’s activity. Please stay tuned to this page for more updates.
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