Three phreatic eruptions at Mayon volcano, Philippines
Three phreatic eruptions took place at Mayon volcano, Philippines on March 12, 2019. The first at 07:10 UTC (15:10 local time), followed by two more at 07:18 and 07:34 UTC.
These events generated light brown to grayish ash plume that rose 500 m (1 640 feet), 1 000 m (3 280 feet), and 500 m above the summit, respectively, before drifting southwest.
Two volcanic earthquakes and one rockfall event were observed on March 11 (UTC) as well as moderate emission of white steam-laden plumes creeping downslope and eventually rising up to 150 m (592 feet) above the summit before drifting SSW and SW.
Fair crater glow from the summit could be observed during the night.
Two phreatic eruption events were also recorded at the volcano at 00:11 and 22:27 UTC on March 7. PHIVOLCS maintains Alert Level 2 over the volcano – moderate level of unrest.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission was measured at an average of 988 tonnes/day on March 7. Precise leveling data obtained from January 25 to February 3, 2019 indicate a slight deflation of the edifice relative to December 8 – 13, 2018.
Phreatic eruption at Mayon volcano at 07:18 UTC on March 12, 2019. Credit: PHIVOLCS
PHIVOLCS maintains Alert Level 2 over the volcano – moderate level of unrest.
Members of the public are reminded sudden explosions, lava collapses, pyroclastic density currents or PDCs and ashfall can still occur and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes of Mayon.
Entry into the 6 km (3.7 miles) radius Permanent Danger Zone is strictly prohibited as well as into a precautionary 7 km (4.3 miles) radius Extended Danger Zone in the south-southwest to east-northeast sector, stretching from Anoling, Camalig to Sta. Misericordia, Sto. Domingo.
People residing close to these danger areas are also advised to observe precautions associated with rockfalls, PDCs and ashfall.
Active stream/river channels and those identified as perennially lahar-prone areas on all sectors of the volcano should also be avoided especially during extreme weather conditions when there is heavy and prolonged rainfall.
Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and PDCs may pose hazards to aircrafts.
Featured image credit: PHIVOLCS
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.