MANILA — The angry Mayon volcano has yet to show any indication that would merit lowering its alert level, some two weeks into its quiet eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Friday.

A 5-step alert system for the volcano was raised to 3 from 2 in early June, after Mayon spewed ash and rocks. Alert 3 means there is "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption," state volcanologists had said.

"Wala pa pong indikasyon na we have to lower the alert level kasi as of the moment, technically, nag-e-erupt pa rin yung volcano. It’s just that it is an effusive eruption," Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(There is no indication yet that we to lower the alert level because the volcano is still technically erupting. It's just that it is an effusive eruption.)

An effusive eruption involves fluid lava or molten rocks, in contrast to an explosive eruption where magma fragments into ash or rocks, according to Phivolcs.

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In its 5 a.m. report, Phivolcs said it recorded 339 rockfall events around Mayon in the past 24 hours. This is higher than the 299 rockfall events recorded the previous day, Bacolcol noted.

Sulfur dioxide emissions also went up to 706 tonnes per day, higher than the 574 tonnes per day reported on June 21, he said.

Thirteen pyroclastic density current events were also observed on Thursday, Bacolcol added.

Some 20,000 people have fled their homes due to the continued unrest of Mayon. At least 2 evacuees have caught COVID-19.

• Mayon displaces 20,000 people; 628 seek medical consultation
• Another Mayon evacuee in Daraga, Albay tests positive for COVID-19

Bacolcol asked residents to stay away from the permanent danger zone around Mayon in the meantime.

“Yung mga nasa evacuation centers, tiis-tiis lang… 'Wag muna tayong bumalik inside the permanent danger zone, para po ito sa ating kaligtasan," he said.

(For those in evacuation centers, please stay there in the meantime...don't go back to the permanent danger zone for your safety.)