Mayon Volcano in Albay (File photo by Michael B. Jaucian / Inquirer Southern Luzon)
LEGAZPI CITY鈥擳he Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has lowered Mayon Volcano鈥檚 alert level status from 2 (increasing unrest) to 1 (abnormal) on Tuesday.
Alert Level 1 means that the volcano has a low level of unrest and that the likelihood of an eruption has faded.
Mayon Volcano had its alert level lowered from alert level 3 (increased tendency toward hazardous eruption) to 2 on Dec. 8, 2023.
鈥淪ince the start of the year, Mayon Volcano has exhibited a steady decline in its monitored parameters,鈥� Phivolcs said in a statement.
The parameters mentioned by Phivolcs include the volcanic earthquake activities, which has declined to an average of two to three daily; lower sulfur dioxide gas emissions averaging 1,148 metric tons per day; and weak to moderate degassing plumes observed on the summit crater.
While the long-term ground deformation data still showed that the edifice of the volcano was still inflated, the short-term data indicated deflation of the northern middle slopes, according to Phivolcs.
鈥淚n the event of a renewed increase in any one or combination of the above monitoring parameters, the alert status may step up once again to Alert Level 2,鈥� according to Phivolcs.
鈥淥n the other hand, if there is a noticeable return to baseline levels of ground deformation and sustained low levels of other monitoring parameters, then the alert status may further step down.鈥�