Mayon Volcano is on the Verge...

Lava continues to flow down Mayon’s slopes Mayon volcano, which is in the verge of a major eruption, has spewed close to 10 million cubic meters of lava since last week. On Sunday Mayon continued to send lava cascading down the slopes facing the Bonga gully. Authorities have warned residents of Mabinit, Bonga, Matanag and Buyuan all in Legazpi City, and Miisi in Daraga town to stay alert for flying rocks and pyroclastic explosions. The volcano has already emitted about 10 million cubic meters of lava and pyroclastic materials onto the Bonga gully, adding up to the estimated 50 million cubic meters of volcanic ashes ejected in the 1993, 2000 and 2001 eruptions. As the hot molten rocks continued to tumble down, disaster officials in Santo Domingo town reported that more villagers have sought refuge in evacuation centers. Authorities said 2,335 people, or 495 families have fled their homes since Mayon began to get restive. Mayor Herbie Aguas of Santo Domingo said the evacuees from the villages of Santa Misericordia, Fidel Surtica, San Isidro, Lidong and San Fernando are housed at the San Andres Resettlement Site and the Bicol evacuation center. These villagers fled their homes due to ashfall. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in Legazpi said the bulk of the lava and molten rocks that tumbled down through the Bonga gully in the southeast came from the volcano’s crater. Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist, said sulfur dioxide emitted by Mayon has reached a staggering 3,514 tons a day, indicating that the volcano has a sustained high level of seismic unrest. PHIVOLCS detected 400 tremors caused by the continuous lava flow and rock falls. Scientist, however, noted that no volcanic earthquakes have been detected for the past 24 hours observation period. Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Mayon, meaning residents are warned to stay away from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone and the seven-km extended PDZ in the southeast flank facing the Bonga gully. Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism in Bicol has made a list of designated viewing areas to give local and foreign visitors a guide where to go and view Mount Mayon exhibiting its phenomenal beauty and fury. These areas are Cagsawa ruins, Maharlika Highway along lower Malabog, Daraga Church, Lignon hill, all in Daraga town; Boulevard, Mayon International Hotel (MIH) at barangay Taysan, Tahao Road, Kapuntuka hill, all in this city. Due to the influx of local and foreign visitors the tourism department coordinated and advised hotel and restaurant owners to improve their facilities specially the security of their hotel occupants. The volcano towers 2,462 meters over the Legazpi landscape and covers an area of 250 square kilometers. It is the most active volcano in the Philippines with 47 recorded eruption since 1616. PNA/The Manila Times http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=45276