Filipino policemen and army soldiers  patrol the six-kilometer permanent danger zone around restive Mayon Volcano in a village of Mi-isi, Daraga town, Albay province.

Manila Times/Legazpi City

The Albay Public Safety and Management Office (Apsemo) yesterday expressed fear over the possibility of wild fires that may raze forests and farms at the foot of Mount Mayon, should the now-restive volcano make good its threat of a major eruption.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said what Mayon has been exhibiting since it was placed under alert warning level 3 on September 15 are indications of magmatic eruptions characterised by huge ejection of volcanic ash and super-hot pyroclastic that would flow down large crevices along its slopes to its foot.

Apsemo chief Cedric Daep said when these burning volcanic materials reach the 3.2-kilometre distance from its summit, chances are great that it may set on fire the vast forests and coconut plantations within that mark.

In its latest Mayon Volcano Bulletin No. 21 released yesterday morning, Phivolcs said its seismic network recorded four volcanic earthquakes and eight rockfall events during the past 24-hour observation period.

Weak-to-moderate emission of white steam plumes drifting east-northeast and north-northeast was observed while crater glow was not observed Saturday night.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) flux was measured at an average of 1,290 tonnes/day on September 19 although SO2 emission rates peaked at 2,360 tonnes/day on September 6.

Ground deformation data showed inflationary changes in the edifice from February, based on precise levelling surveys in the third week of August, and edifice inflation from January 2012 baselines, based on continuous tilt measurement.

Phivolcs said all these data indicate that the volcano is exhibiting relatively high unrest due to the movement of potentially eruptible magma.

The agency recommended that the six-kilometre-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano and the seven-kilometre Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the southeastern flank be enforced due to the danger of rock falls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse that may generate hazardous volcanic flows, it added.

 

 

 

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