LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines - Mayon Volcano in Albay may proceed to a hazardous eruption, or an explosion that would be dominated by pyroclastic flows rather then the less life-threatening lava flows, scientists told the first meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) here today.
Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist for Bicol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said unlike the 2006 eruption that was characterized by slow-paced lava flow, the present condition of Mayon could lead to a hazardous eruption and it would be dominated by pyroclastic flow, a very hot gaseous volcano material ranging from 300- to 1000- degrees celcius in temperature and travels faster than lava.
Laguerta said Mayon’s present activity resembles that of its 1993 behavior which eventually led to pyroclastic explosion, that cascaded down its slopes very fast and killed at least 77 farmers tilling their land at the area facing Legazpi City.
The scientist said their instruments detected low degassing activity, which means that more volume of gaseous materials are trapped inside the volcano.
- By Cet Dematera (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
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