Mayon Volcano now under Alert Level 3 amid magmatic eruption

MANILA, Philippines, January 7 ------ Albay province’s Mayon Volcano was raised to Alert Level 3 less than a week after being placed under Alert Level 2 on New Year’s Day.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said “very slow extrusion of shallow degassed magma is ongoing and is incrementally increasing in rate,” or an “effusive magmatic eruption is taking place.” An effusive or non-explosive magmatic eruption is “dominated by the outpouring of lava onto the ground,” according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in contrast to an explosive eruption where there is “violent fragmentation of magma.”

Phivolcs said the collapse of the lava dome, or the lava that accumulated and solidified at Mayon’s summit, generated pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) along the Bonga Gully on the southeast side of the volcano at 12:26 pm on Tuesday, traveling down within 2 kilometers of the summit crater. PDCs are made up of fragmented volcanic particles, gases, and ash that travel down volcanic slopes at high speeds. They can destroy or burn anything in their path, with temperatures generally ranging between 200°C and 700°C, according to USGS. “Mayon is exhibiting magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with increased chances of lava flows and hazardous PDCs or uson affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano, and of potential explosive activity within days or weeks,” Phivolcs further explained in its bulletin, issued at 1:20 pm on Tuesday. That also means there is now an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

Evacuation from PDZ

Phivolcs recommended evacuation from the 6-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) surrounding Mayon, citing “the danger of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards.” Ashfall and lahar flows may also occur. Rockfalls in particular have spiked further in the early days of 2026, with a total of 364 rockfall incidents recorded since New Year’s Day, compared to 599 from November to December 2025. “The volume of discrete rockfall, with observed incandescence at nighttime, increased yesterday (Monday, January 5), signaling an increase in the rate of dome growth and the onset of extrusion of new lava at the crater,” added Phivolcs.

Mayon’s eastern and southeastern slopes have also been inflated or swollen since June 2024. Phivolcs said the following barangays — arranged under the city or municipality they belong to — have portions located within the 6-kilometer-radius PDZ:

- Tabaco City – Oson, Mariroc, Comon, Magapo, Buang

- Malilipot – Calbayog, Barangay V, Santa Cruz, Canaway

- Ligao City – Baligang

- Santo Domingo – Fidel Surtida, Lidong, San Fernando, Santa Misericordia

- Camalig – Sua, Tumpa, Anoling, Quirangay

- Daraga – Mi-isi

- Guinobatan – Doña Tomasa (Magatol), Muladbucad Pequeño, Muladbucad Grande

- Legazpi City – Mabinit, Buyuan, Matanag, Bonga, Padang

- Bacacay – Bonga (Upper)

“They should follow the evacuation plan of their LGUs (local government units), and if there’s ash or sulfur dioxide (SO2), then they have to wear face masks,” Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in a mix of Filipino and English during a press conference.

Source: rappler.com