THE government has disbursed more than P2.4 million in agricultural assistance to residents affected by the continuing unrest of Mayon Volcano in Albay, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday said there was an increase in Mayon Volcano’s activity manifested by a repetitive pulse tremor since July 3.
In its latest bulletin, the DA said P1.25 million worth of drugs, biologics, and feeds were provided for the evacuated animals, as well as regular livestock health monitoring and disease surveillance to safeguard the well-being and health of the animals in the affected areas, while at the same time preventing the spread of potentially deadly diseases.
The state also distributed P1.17 million worth of agricultural inputs to the evacuees for the establishment of communal gardens in evacuation sites, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment through the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers’’ (TUPAD) program.
Meanwhile, Kadiwa stores established near evacuation centers, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Trade and Industry, farmers’ associations, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and local government units recorded total sales of P288,926.
To date, there are no observed agricultural damage and losses due to the volcano’s continuing unrest.
On the other hand, the DA has identified 26 animal evacuation or pooling sites outside the six-kilometer radius of the extended danger zone (EDZ).
Twenty animal pooling sites were sheltering 1,120 cattle, carabaos, goats, and sheep evacuated from 467 farmers.
The evacuation of the animals is ongoing, the DA said.
For inquiries, the public may contact the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center through these numbers: (02) 8929-0140 and 0966-798-7044.
The DA also reminded the public of the prohibitions being implemented in the vicinity of the volcano.
In the same bulletin, the DA said entry into the PDZ and the flying of any aircraft close to the volcano remained prohibited.
“It is therefore recommended that the 6-km. radius PDZ be evacuated due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents (PDC), lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards,” it said.
The bulletin was issued based on Phivolcs report that the general situation around Mayon somehow deteriorated, prompting the raising of Alert Level 3.
“(This) means that it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at crater and hazardous eruption within weeks or even days is possible,” Phivolcs said.
“Increased vigilance against pyroclastic density currents, lahars, and sediment-laden stream flows along channels draining the edifice is also advised. Heavy rainfall could generate channel-confined lahars and sediment-laden stream flows in channels where PDC deposits were emplaced.”
“Since 3:47 p.m. [on July 3], the Mayon Volcano Network began recording a continuous tremor-like series of weak volcanic earthquakes that steadied and increased in strength [in the morning of July 4] and persists to the present,” it said.
“This resulted in an abrupt and sustained increase in the level of seismic energy release beginning July 3,” the agency added.
The current activity in Mayon Volcano could be due to magmatic gas activity within the volcano’s edifice, Phivolcs said.
It was also dominated by five dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents (PDC) lasting two to two and a half minutes, 232 rockfall events, and one volcanic earthquake between 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 4 and 5 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5.
“In the past 24-hour period, a very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater of Mayon Volcano continued to feed lava flows and collapse debris on the Mi-isi and Bonga gullies,” it said.
PDC and rockfall events were also observed in the Mi-isi, Bonga, and Basud gullies on the Mayon Volcano’s southern, southeastern, and eastern flanks, respectively.
Lava flows from Mayon have advanced approximately 2.8 kilometers and 1.3 kms on the Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively, while collapsed debris has reached a distance of four kms. from the crater.
A “moderate” amount of sulfur dioxide was also constantly emitted from the Mayon crater, producing a 200-meter-high steam-laden plume that drifted west-northwest and west-southwestward.