Manila, June 26 (EFE).- The Philippine seismological agency (Phivolcs) warned on Monday that the seismic activity of the Mayón volcano, the most active in the archipelago and which has forced the evacuation of more than 18,000 people in the northeast of the country , increased significantly in the last hours.
The volcano registered a total of 102 earthquakes in the last 24 hours, while the emission of sulfur dioxide increased and 263 episodes of volcanic rockfall were recorded, which indicates that the volcanic activity of Mayón has not subsided for the moment. , according to Phivolcs.
Alert level 3 of the volcano
“The alert level 3 (out of 5) of the Mayón volcano is maintained, which means that it is currently at a relatively high level of agitation, since the magma is in the crater and a dangerous eruption is possible in a matter of weeks or even days,” the seismological agency warned this Monday in its daily report.
For the moment, the authorities maintain the evacuation perimeter of six kilometers around the volcano, which has caused the displacement of more than 18,000 people in 28 evacuation centers, although an increase in the risk level from 3 to 4 (out of 5) would force thousands of more people to leave their homes.
Phivolcs also reported that the tropical rains that could intensify the area this week would increase the risk of landslides or lahars: avalanches of ash, mud and sediment that the Mayón spits out and that accumulate on the slopes of the volcano.
Last eruption in 2018
A very slow effusion of lava flows was observed, which already extends up to about 1.3 kilometers from the crater.
Due to the beauty of its almost perfect conical shape, the Mayón volcano is also one of the great tourist attractions in the area.
Its last eruption occurred in 2018, when more than 75,000 people had to be evacuated. The deadliest eruption of Mayón occurred in 1814, when some 1,200 people perished, buried by rivers of lava and falling volcanic rocks, according to estimates published by Phivolcs.