Mayon unrest triggers fresh ashfall in Albay

TABACO CITY, ALBAY, Philippines — Light ashfall blanketed parts of Albay on Monday after a pyroclastic density current (PDC) cascaded down the slopes of the restive Mayon Volcano, prompting local authorities to distribute face masks to residents.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the PDC occurred from 6:31 a.m. to 6:46 a.m. after a portion of the lava flow from Mayon’s summit crater collapsed.

Doreen Abelinde, officer in charge of the Mayon Observatory Station, said light to moderate ashfall was reported in Barangay 12 and Barangay Bonga in Bacacay town, as well as in Barangay San Jose, Barangay 4 (Poblacion) and Barangay Salvacion in neighboring Malilipot town.

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Light ashfall was also reported in Barangay San Fernando in Sto. Domingo town.

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Bacacay Mayor Nookie Bombales directed the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to distribute face masks to residents and motorists as a precaution against volcanic ash, which can cause respiratory problems.

READ: Lava effusion recorded in Mayon as volcano enters 189th day of unrest

“We are closely monitoring the local government units (LGUs), together with RDRRMC (Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) response agencies and have prepositioned nonfood items in case the alert level is raised. If ashfall affects the municipalities, the OCD (Office of Civil Defense) has already distributed face masks to all LGUs through the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office,” said Jessar Adornado, chief of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division of OCD-Bicol.

READ: Mayon continues to emit pyroclastic density current

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According to Department of Social Welfare and Development-Bicol regional information officer Marygizelle Mesa, more than 71,552 families, or 293,974 individuals, remain affected by the continuing unrest of Mayon Volcano, while 1,088 families, or 3,976 individuals, remain displaced, most of them staying in 12 evacuation centers.

The agency has so far provided P314.9 million in humanitarian assistance, including 158,940 family food packs worth P91.9 million and continues to maintain P254.6 million in standby resources for ongoing response operations.

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Monitoring

Phivolcs said Mayon also generated 92 volcanic earthquakes and 299 rockfall events during the 24-hour monitoring period. Sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 5,842 metric tons on Sunday.

Mayon remains under Alert Level 3, indicating a relatively high level of volcanic unrest and the possibility of hazardous eruptions.

Phivolcs reiterated that entry into the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone remains strictly prohibited because of the continuing threat of lava flows, pyroclastic density currents, rockfalls, ashfall and other volcanic hazards.

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As of July 8, Mayon Volcano had produced an estimated 84.97 million cubic meters of volcanic deposits, comprising 42.49 million cubic meters of lava and about 42.48 million cubic meters of pyroclastic density current and rockfall deposits. /cb