MAYON

PHILIPPINES

VOLCANO
ARWEN VENTILACION
 What is Mayon?
Mayon (Bulkang Mayon), also known as Mount Mayon and Mayon Volcano. Is an active stratovolcano in the
province of Albay in Bicol, Philippines. A popular tourist spot, it is renowned for its "perfect cone" because of its
symmetric conical shape, and is regarded as very sacred in Philippine mythology.
The volcano with its surrounding landscape was declared a national park on July 20, 1938, the first in the nation. It
was reclassified as a natural park and renamed the Mayon Volcano Natural Park in 2000. It is the centerpiece of the
Albay Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO in 2016, and is currently being nominated as a
World Heritage Site.
Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines, and its activity is regularly monitored by the
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) from their provincial headquarters on
Ligñon Hill, about 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) from the summit.
 MAYON
RECORDED ERUPTIONS, CASUALTIES, ERUPTIONS'S

VOLCANO
IMPACT, AND VOLCANIC HAZARDS

Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines, erupting over 47

times in the past 500 years. Historical observations accounted its first
eruption in 1616. The first eruption for which an extended account
exists was the six-day event of July 20, 1766.
1814 eruption
According to an old photograph of the Cagsawa ruins with the façade still standing. The church was largely destroyed during the 1814
eruption of Mayon. Only the bell tower exists today.
Its most destructive recorded eruption occurred on February 1, 1814 (VEI=4). Lava flowed but less than the 1766 eruption. The
volcano belched dark ash and eventually bombarded the town of Cagsawa with tephra that buried it. Proximate areas were also
devastated by the eruption, with ash accumulating to 9 m (30 ft) in depth. In Cagsawa town, about 1,200 locals perished in what is
considered to be the most lethal eruption in Mayon's history according to PHIVOLCS. The eruption is believed to have contributed to
the accumulation of atmospheric ash together with the catastrophic 1815 eruption of other volcanoes like Indonesia's Mount Tambora,
leading to the Year Without a Summer in 1816.

1881–1882 eruption
From July 6, 1881, until approximately August 1882, Mayon underwent a strong (VEI=3) eruption. Samuel Kneeland, a naturalist,
professor and geologist, personally observed the volcanic activity on Christmas Day, 1881, about five months after the start of the
activity:
"At the date of my visit, the volcano had poured out, for five months continuously, a stream of lava on the Legaspi side from the very
summit. The viscid mass bubbled quietly but grandly, and overran the border of the crater, descending several hundred feet in a glowing
wave, like red-hot iron. Gradually, fading as the upper surface cooled, it changed to a thousand sparkling rills among the crevices, and, as it
passed beyond the line of complete vision behind the woods near the base, the fires twinkled like stars or the scintillations of a dying
conflagration. More than half of the mountain height was thus illuminated."
1897 eruption
Mount Mayon erupted on July 21, 1928
Mayon's longest uninterrupted eruption occurred on June 23, 1897 (VEI=4), which rained fire for seven days. Lava once again flowed
down to civilization. eleven kilometers (6.8 miles) eastward, the village of Bacacay was buried 15 m (49 ft) beneath the lava. In
Santo Domingo, 100 people were killed by steam and falling debris or hot rocks. Other villages like San Roque, Sta. Misericordia and
Santo Niño became deathtraps. Ash was carried in black clouds as far as 160 kilometers (99 mi) from the catastrophic event, which
killed more than 400 people.
1984 and 1993 eruptions
The eruption on September 23, 1984
No casualties were recorded from the 1984 eruption after more than 73,000 people were evacuated from the danger zones as
recommended by PHIVOLCS scientists. But in 1993, pyroclastic flows killed 79 people, mainly farmers, during the eruption that also
forced 50,000 residents evacuated, according to the Albay provincial government.

1999 eruption
Mayon began its increasing activity in May 1999, with the hazard status associated raised to Alert Level 1. On June 22, 1999, Mayon
emitted an ash column that rose to approximately 10 km above the vent; the status was later raised to Alert Level 2. The emission was
recorded by the seismic network of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology as an explosion that lasted for 10 minutes.
No volcanic earthquakes nor other visible signs of abnormal activity were observed before the explosion.
 An old photograph of the Mount Mayon erupting on July The eruption on September 23,
Cagsawa ruins with the façade 21, 1928 1984
still standing. The church was
largely destroyed during the
1814 eruption of Mayon. Only
the bell tower exists today.
2000 eruptions
Mayon had experienced continuous emissions since 1999 and followed by a series of eruptions in the next two consecutive years.
On January 5, 2000, a 5-km-high ash column was produced by an explosion. The growth of the summit-crater dome and intensifying
eruptions later signaled evacuations.
Past emissions had led to the growth of the lava dome beginning on February 12. On February 23, a series of eruptions began.
PHIVOLCS then recommended evacuation even beyond the permanent danger zone. On February 24, PHIVOLCS raised its status to
the highest, Alert Level 5, with at least eight towns and one city warned of possible explosions with ash and lava flows, and several
thousand forced to evacuate even outside identified danger zones. The most violent eruptions occurred from February 28 to March 1,
and since then, declining activity was observed until April.
NDCC reported that the 2000 eruption displaced 14,114 families (68,426 persons) and damaged at least ₱89-million worth of property
and crops.

2001 eruption
NDCC reported that another eruption in 2001 affected 11,529 families (56,853 persons) and damaged at least ₱ 48 million worth of
property and crops.
2006 eruptions
Mayon's 48th modern-era eruption was on July 13, 2006, followed by a quiet effusion of lava that started on July 14, 2006. Nearly
40,000 people were evacuated from the 8-kilometer (5.0 mi) danger zone on the southeast flank of the volcano.
After an ash explosion on September 1, 2006, a general decline in the overall activity of Mayon was established. The decrease in key
parameters such as seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, and ground inflation all indicated a waning condition. The slowdown in
the eruptive activity was also evident from the decrease in intensity of the crater glow and the diminishing volume of lava extruded
from the summit. PHILVOLCS Alert Level 4 was lowered to Level 3 on September 11, 2006; to Level 2 on October 3, 2006; and to
Level 1 on October 25, 2006.

2008 eruption
On August 10, 2008, a small summit explosion ejected ash 200 meters (660 ft) above the summit, which drifted east-northeast. In the
weeks prior to the eruption, a visible glow increased within the crater and increased seismicity.
2009–2010 eruptions
Because of a rise in the number of low-frequency volcanic earthquakes that were recorded to a level comparable to those before the
2008 phreatic explosion, PHIVOLCS upgraded the status from Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest) to Alert Level 2 (moderate unrest) on
July 10, 2009.

At 5:32 a.m. On October 28, 2009, the summit crater experienced a brief ash explosion that lasted about a minute. About 600 meters
(2,000 feet) above the crater, a column of brown ash rose and drifted northeast. 13 volcanic earthquakes were noted the previous day.
Steam was slowly creeping down the slope and toward the southwest at a moderate rate of emission. PHIVOLCS kept the Alert Status
at Level 2, but later issued a warning that all necessary precautions should be taken as tropical cyclone Mirinae approaches because of
the increased risk of lahars and potential crater wall collapse.

Field investigation after dawn revealed that ashfall had drifted southwest of the volcano. The seismic network identified 20 volcanic
earthquakes over the course of a 24-hour period. Alert Status was maintained at level 2.
At 8 pm on December 14, 2009, PHIVOLCS raised the Alert status to Level 3 due to an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions and 83
volcanic earthquakes over the previous 24 hours

On December 15, 2009, a moderate ash explosion took place at the summit crater early in the morning, and "quiet extrusion of lava"
caused flows to descend to about 500 meters (1,600 ft) from the summit. By evening, Albay Province authorities had evacuated about
20,000 residents into nearby evacuation centers from the 8-kilometer (5.0 mi) danger zone. Within the 8-kilometer (5.0 mi) radius,
there are about 50,000 residents.
2009–2010 eruptions
Five ash ejections took place on December 17, 2009, with one reaching a height of 500 meters (1,600 feet) above the summit. Lava flows
extended as far as 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) below the summit, and incandescent fragments from the lava pile that was continuously
rolling down Bonga Gully reached a distance of 3–4 km below the summit. Sulfur dioxide emissions increased to 2,758 tons per 24 hours.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda reported that by midday, 33,833 people from 7,103 families had been evacuated, or 72% of the total
population that required evacuation .

The volcano remained on alert level 4 throughout December, forcing affected residents to spend Christmas and New Year's in evacuation
centers. The highest daily emission of sulfur dioxide occurred on December 25 at 8,993 tons. When asked about the volcano's condition on
December 28, PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum said, "You might think it is taking a break, but the volcano is still swelling." The
following day, on December 29, a civil aviation warning for the airspace near the summit was included in the volcano bulletins. Since the
eruption began, an estimated 20 million to 23 million cubic meters of rocks and volcanic debris have been ejected, as opposed to 50
million to 60 million cubic meters in the previous eruption.

According to decreasing activity seen over the previous four days, PHIVOLCS reduced the volcano's alert level from level 4 to level 3 on
January 2, 2010. The state agency noted the absence of ash ejections, relative weakness of steam emissions, and the gradual decrease in
sulfur dioxide emissions from a maximum of 8,993 tons per day to 2,621 tons per day.
PHIVOLCS decreased the Alert Level from 3 to 2 on January 13 as a result of a further decrease in the likelihood of a dangerous eruption.
Mayon with ash explosion at Mayon erupting on December
dawn on December 18, 2009 29, 2009.
2013 phreatic eruption
On May 7, 2013, at 8 a.m. (PST), the volcano produced a surprise phreatic eruption lasting 73 seconds. Ash, steam, and rock were
produced during this eruption. Ash clouds reached 500 meters above the volcano's summit and drifted west southwest. The event
killed five climbers, of whom three were German, one was a Spaniard living in Germany, and one was a Filipino tour guide. Seven
others were reported injured. The bodies of the hikers were soon located by the authorities. However, due to the rugged and slippery
terrain, the hikers' remains were slowly transferred from Camp 2 to Camp 1, the site of the rescue operations at the foot of the
volcano. According to Dr. Butch Rivera of Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, the hikers died due to trauma in their
bodies, and suffocation. Authorities were also able to rescue a Thai national who was unable to walk due to fatigue and had suffered a
broken arm and burns on the neck and back. Despite the eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology stated that
the alert level would remain at 0. No volcanic earthquake activity was detected in the 24 hours prior to the eruption as no indication
of further intensification of volcanic activity was observed, and no evacuation was being planned.
2014 renewed activity
On August 12, 2014, a new 30m-50m high lava dome appeared in the summit crater. This event was preceded by inflations of the
volcano (measured by precise leveling, tilt data, and GPS), and increases in sulfur dioxide gas emissions. On September 14, 2014,
rockfall events at the southeastern rim of the crater and heightened seismic activity caused PHIVOLCS to increase the alert level for
Mayon from 2 to 3, which indicates relatively high unrest with magma at the crater, and that hazardous eruption is possible within
weeks.
The rockfalls and visible incandescence of the crater from molten lava and hot volcanic gas both indicated a possible incipient
breaching of the growing summit lava dome. On September 15, 2014, NASA's Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) detected thermal anomalies near Mayon's summit, consistent with magma at the surface. On September 16, 2014,
provincial governor Joey Salceda said that the government would begin to "fast-track the preparation to evacuate 12,000 families in
the 6–8 km extended danger zone", and soldiers would enforce the no-go areas.
On September 18, 2014, PHIVOLCS reported 142 VT earthquake events and 251 rockfall events. White steam plumes drifted to the
south-southwest and rain clouds covered the summit. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission was measured at a 757 tonnes after a peak of
2,360 tonnes on September 6. Deformation (precise leveling and tiltmeters) during the 3rd week of August 2014 recorded edifice
inflation.
2018 activity
A phreatic eruption took place on January 13, 2018, at 4:21 PM (PST), sending a plume of grayish steam and ash about 2500 meters
high toward the volcano's southwest flank. Traces of ash fell during the activity, which lasted for approximately 1 hour and 47
minutes. A sulfuric odor was noted by residents of Camalig town proper. Residents of Brgy could also hear rumbling sounds. Events
related to anoling, daraga, and rockfall were sporadically documented. At 10:16 pm, a faint crater glow was first noticed. Due to the
incident, PHIVOLCS-DOST changed the Mayon Volcano's Alert Level from Alert Level 1 (abnormal) to Alert Level 2 (increasing
unrest for the safety of the populace). The ensuing evacuation resulted in the displacement of about 40,000 residents.
On January 14, 2018, Mayon Volcano's alert status was upgraded to Alert Level 3 (increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption)
after 3 phreatic eruptions and 158 rockfall events were recorded. Additionally, the summit crater displayed a brilliant glow that
indicated the emergence of a fresh lava dome and the beginning of lava flows toward its slopes.
As lava flows approached the perimeter of the 6-kilometer evacuation zone on January 16, 2018, the province of Albay proclaimed a
state of catastrophe.
At around 12:45 pm on January 22, 2018, Mayon erupted a 3-kilometer-tall ash column, raising the alert level to 4. In the entire
province of Albay, classes at all levels in both private and public schools were canceled. By dusk, the crater was spewing ash plumes,
pyroclastic flows, and lava fountains. In addition, rockfalls and lava bombs could be seen, and the eruptions' rumbling sounds could
be heard. A Strombolian eruption was identified as the type of eruption.
2018 activity
On January 23, 2018, Mayon produced ash plumes and lava fountains that erupted at intervals of 4 to 5 hours. Additionally, rockfalls
and lava bombs could be seen, and the volcano's sounds could be heard. Work was suspended in some places, and classes at all levels
—public and private—remain suspended. Despite being at Alert Level 4, the danger zone was extended up to 9 kilometers, and
people living there were evacuated.
A second column of ashes and lava fountains were released on January 24, 2018, with an interval of 4 to 5 hours. Rockfalls and
firebombs could also be seen, and eruption sounds could be heard. Some areas of Albay continued to have suspended classes.

A new column of ashes and lava fountains were released on January 25, 2018. Rockfalls and fire bombs could also be seen, and
eruption sounds could be heard. The eruptions occurred every three to five hours. In some parts of Albay, school is still on break.

The volcano remained on Alert Level 4 for the remainder of January and the entire month of February due to its unrest. On March 6,
2018, PHIVOLCS-DOST reduced the alert level back to Alert Level 3 after noticing a decline in volcanic activity. The alert level was
once again reduced to Alert Level 2 on March 29, 2018, by PHIVOLCS-DOST after noticing a further decline in activity. This
signaled the end of Mayon's eruptive activity and the volcano's decline to a moderate level of unrest.

Despite causing two phreatic explosions on December 26 of last year, Mayon is still at Alert Level 2.
2020 crater glow
The Mayon Volcano's crater displayed crater glow on the evening of February 4, 2020, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) attributed to magma that was still slightly present beneath the volcano's surface. Despite the fact that
this phenomenon made the public and authorities aware, the Mayon Volcano's Alert Level remained at 2. On July 17, 2020, Alert
Level 2 was reduced to Alert Level 1. And on July 30, 2021, PHIVOLCS-DOST lowered the volcano's alert level.

2022 activity
On October 1, Mayon released 391 tons of sulfur dioxide, and its edifice is also slightly inflated.
A faint crater glow is observed at the summit of the Mayon Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(PHIVOLCS) said on Wednesday. PHIVOLCS said that it has produced one volcanic earthquake in the last 24-hour observation
period. Plumes were also seen drifting west-northwest and westward.
On October 7, The status of the Mayon Volcano in Albay was raised to Alert Level 2 by State volcanologists, due to exhibiting
"increasing unrest" as stated.
Mount Mayon erupting in the 2020 Mayon Volcano Crater
early morning of January 23, Glow
2018.
 THANK
PHOTO AND CONTENT CTTO:

YOU
Mayon - Wikipedia

ARWEN VENTILACION