(Eagle News) — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has lowered the Alert Level status of Mayon volcano, but entry into the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) is still strictly prohibited.
On Tuesday, March 6, PHIVOLCS said an Alert Level 3, instead of an Alert Level 4, has now been hoisted over the volcano in Albay, citing the overall decrease in its level of unrest for the move.
In particular, the agency said an Alert Level 3 means there is a “decreased tendency towards hazardous explosive eruption.”
“Activity has diminished to sporadic degassing with associated ash plumes, weak lava fountaining, quiet lava flow and lava collapse, interspersed with two to four days of relative quiescence. The decline in the intensity and frequency of events suggests a gradual depletion of eruptible magma at the shallow levels of the edifice,” PHIVOLCS said.
Based on its seismic monitoring network, the agency also noted that in the past 24 hours, only a total of four volcanic earthquakes and 44 rockfall events were recorded.
But PHIVOLCS officials still reminded the public that an Alert Level 3 does not mean that the Mayon unrest has “ceased.”
It said that sudden explosions, lava collapses, PDCs and ash fall can still occur and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes of the volcano.
As such, PHIVOLCS said entry into the six kilometer-radius PDZ and into the precautionary seven kilometer-radius Extended Danger Zone or EDZ in the south-southwest to east-northeast sector is still strictly prohibited.
The public were also advised against going near active river channels and lahar-prone areas.
Flying aircraft close to the volcano’s summit was also discouraged.