LEGAZPI CITY, July 21 -- Mayon Volcano seismic activity continue to show signs of complex restive state hampering volcanologist to issue a clear eruptive stage of the volcano.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the volcano is showing signs of high and low seismic manifestation giving the agency difficulty in giving advisory about the volcano's eruptive condition.
Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident volcanologist, said "The dilemma right now is that Mayon is not showing any sign of significant information, what we get are fluctuating signs difficult to evaluate."
Volcanologists maintained alert level 2 on Mayon Volcano as of Tuesday, meaning there was "moderate unrest," and that ash explosions were possible.
Laguerta however did not discount the possibility that at any time, smaller explosions may occur which some scientist call "throat clearing" that may also lead to a big explosion depending on the gas and magma intrusion on the volcano's vent.
Phivolcs instrument at the Linon Hill observatory has monitored 14 earthquakes around Mayon on Tuesday.
Laguerta said the tremors were "common" for an "abnormal" volcano like Mayon.
Precise Leveling result indicate no significant swelling on the volcano edifice was noted bulging at the Buang and Lidong lines remained at 5.0 mm. There was no new intrusion of molten materials or magma to the surface, Laguerta added.
Crater glow intensity level remained at level 2 while gas emission activity for the past 24 hours was observed at moderate level.
Volcanologist strongly recommend that the six-km Permanent Danger Zone, including the seven-km extended danger zones, should be off limits to any human activity due to threat from sudden explosions and rockfalls from the upper slopes of the volcano.
The military-led Task Force Mayon on Monday prepositioned 20 M-35 trucks, which can load 30 persons each, were placed on standby at Camp Simeon Ola here, said Captain Razaleigh G. Bansawan, spokesperson of the 901st Infantry Battalion.
Army troops inspected the lava front in Mabinit village on Saturday, Bansawan said.
The military and the police have been conducting checkpoints in 12 villages in key cities and towns in Albay province surrounding the six-km danger zone, the spokesman said.
These include the villages of Budiao, Bañadero, Salvacion and Matnog in Daraga town; Quirangay in Camalig town; Mabinit in Legazpi City; San Andres in Sto. Domingo town; Mayon Skyline Park in Tabaco City; and upland villages of Guinobatan and Polangui towns and Ligao City.
"We are also expecting five military vehicles from the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force in case we need to make urgent rescue operations," said Bansawan.(PNA)