Mayon Volcano records 162 rockfalls, 50 PDCs in past 24 hours

January 8 ------ A total of 162 rockfall events have been recorded in the past 24 hours as Alert Level 3 is maintained over Mayon Volcano in Albay, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

From 12 a.m. on Wednesday to 12 a.m. on Thursday, PHIVOLCS said that 50 pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) have been observed in the volcano. PDCs are mixtures of fragmented volcanic particles (pyroclastics), hot gases, and ashes that rush down the volcanic slopes or rapidly outward from a source vent at high speeds, PHIVOLCS said.

One volcanic earthquake was recorded while the volcano’s edifice was still inflated. A fair crater glow on the volcano was also visible. Mayon Volcano emitted 702 tones of sulfur dioxide gases on January 5, according to PHIVOLCS. A moderate volcanic plume rose up to 200 meters above the crater and drifted northeast. 

Source: gmanetwork.com