The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Thursday said the lava flow in Mayon Volcano, Albay lava had cascaded down the slopes by about two kilometers from crater.
This developed as Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda expressed apprehensions that the general situation around the volcano could be worsened by heavy rains in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Philippine dispatched one of its biggest ships to deliver “critical relief goods” to Albay.
The very slow effusion of lava flow along Mi-isi gully lengthened from 1.6 kilometers (kms) on Wednesday to 2.1 kms on Thursday, the Phivolcs reported.
The lava flow along Bonga gully also extended from 1.2 kms to 1.3 kms, the agency added.
The moderate emission of plumes from the volcano reached as high as 1,000 meters, drifting to west-northwest, north-northwest, and northeast directions, the Phivolcs said.
“Alert Level 3 is maintained over Mayon Volcano, which means that it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption within weeks or even days is possible,” the Phivolcs bulletin stated.
“It is therefore recommended that the 6-km radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) be evacuated due to the danger of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards,” it said.
Phivolcs said there was a total of 296 rockfall events, seven dome-collapse pyroclastic density current (PDCs) events, and two lava front collapse pyroclastic density current events over Mayon Volcano.
Salceda feared that heavier rainfall “could exacerbate risks in Mayon, and will force us to evacuate communities in near lahar channels, in addition to the ones already in danger zones.”
Salceda, chair of the House committee on ways and means, was reacting to projections by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that three to four cyclones were likely to hit the country in July.
Thus, Salceda said, “we respectfully request President Marcos’s continued support for Albay, and we thank him for the unwavering help he has already provided us.”
“In July, the average rainfall in Albay was expected to be 155.2mm, and 112.53mm for the rest of the year with about 38 percent more rains. And, if the PAGASA projection takes place, we could see more. That compounds the risks Mayon poses,” Salceda said.
He added that “although, we might not need to evacuate those near lahar channels but are outside the designated 6-, 7-, or 8-kilometer danger zones for long periods, we might need to bring them to safety when a storm is impending, or there is heavy rain.”
“So, really what we are looking at is extended evacuation for those in danger zones, and intermittent evacuations for those in lahar channels during heavy rain. We will really need help,” he added.
Salceda recalled that prior to Typhoon Rolly in 2020, which caused heavy lahar flows in Albay, abnormal Mayon activity was already recorded, causing PHIVOLCS to declare Alert Level 1, in addition to remnant pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits from the January-March 2018 eruption. The municipality of Guinobatan, in Albay, was hardest hit by lahar from the typhoon.
“The lahar channel flows through densely populated areas in some Albay towns. The lesson to learn is early evacuation. But we know, of course, that takes up resources. If the current support the National Government has extended continues, we will be able to save lives and maintain zero-casualty.”
Some 5,713 families are already in evacuation centers, and Salceda expects more, as “given parameters and historical experience, we are likely weeks away from Alert Level 4, when a violent eruption could occur.”
“When Alert Level 4 is declared, you could see 21,000 families or 78,000 individuals evacuated. That will be a logistical nightmare if we have to do it alone.”
“Fortunately, President Marcos, Speaker Romualdez, and the administration, including national government agencies, have been very supportive. Continued support saves lives – and we are very thankful.”
Salceda added that “in the interim, while the situation has not escalated, we appeal for help with preparing the sanitation and other facilities in evacuation centers. I’m working on water supply, but we need sanitation systems.”
The Philippine Navy (PN) has deployed the 7,200-ton BRP Tarlac (LD-601), to transport “critical relief goods” to Albay which is affected by the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano.
In a statement, the PN said the landing dock was tasked to carry items provided by the Department of Health (DOH) central office last June 25.
“A total of 2.4 tons of cargo, including 100,000 respiratory masks; 2,000 units of jerrycan water collapsible; and 1,966,000 surgical masks and 102,600 N-95 masks, were delivered to Albay by sea from Metro Manila by LD-601,” the Philippine Navy said.
The shipments were unloaded via beach landing at the Naval Forces Southern Luzon in Legazpi City last June 26.
“Using the onboard landing craft unit (LCU) which will be transported by the military trucks of Task Force ‘Sagip’ to DOH storage areas,” the PN said.
The BRP Tarlac is one of the Navy’s two Tarlac-class landing docks and was commissioned in 2016.
“Besides its primary functions, BRP Tarlac is equipped with the capability to convert seawater into freshwater and can accommodate a minimum of 500 evacuees,” the PN added.
These ships have a cargo capacity of 650 tons each.
These vessels also have onboard medical facilities and personnel, including a doctor and a dentist per ship, along with 10 beds for medical purposes.
To aid in humanitarian missions, the BRP Tarlac also has an onboard LCU that can be deployed in coastal areas where land transportation is compromised.
“The successful delivery of relief goods by BRP Tarlac to Albay in response to the Mount Mayon unrest stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the PN in times of crisis,” the Navy said.