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People enjoy a view of Mayon volcano from Quintinian Hills in Daraga Albay on June 16, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

 

Article (news)

Mayon’s unrest intensifies, showing stronger magma pressurization than during the 2023 episode
 

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1767772607836regg.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">People enjoy a view of Mayon volcano from Quintinian Hills in Daraga Albay on June 16, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/FILE</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 after a sharp increase in rockfall activity and the continued growth of a lava dome at its summit, prompting renewed warnings from state volcanologists that hazardous pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) could occur without warning.</p><p>The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Mayon recorded 131 rockfall events in the past 24 hours, significantly higher than the 85 events that triggered the alert escalation earlier this week.</p><p>The activity reflects ongoing lava dome growth that has made the summit increasingly unstable, generating frequent rockfalls and at least six PDCs so far, including one on Wednesday morning that traveled up to two kilometers from the crater.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/6/phivolcs-to-raise-mayon-volcano-alert-level-3-1314">Phivolcs raises Mayon Volcano to alert level 3</a></div><p>Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said the current behavior closely mirrors the 2023 eruption, which was characterized by effusive activity rather than explosive lava fountaining. However, he cautioned that the present unrest may last longer due to clear signs of magma pressurization beneath the volcano.</p><p>He explained that the surge in rockfall events is directly linked to the continuous accumulation of viscous lava at the summit, which has become increasingly unstable over time.</p><p>“Meron tayong lava dome growth. Ito iyong makapal at malapot na lava sa ibabaw ng bulkan. At naiipon siya doon. So, lumalaki siya, ibig sabihin nagdagan ng lava. Habang lumalaki siya, naging unstable, kaya bumabagsak siya. Iyon na iyong rockfall events natin,” Bacolcol explained.</p><p>The instability has already produced multiple PDCs, fast-moving, superheated clouds of gas, ash, and volcanic debris that pose the greatest threat to life around Mayon.</p><p>“That&#x27;s the reason why sinabi na natin na walang tao dapat doon sa PDZ, kasi pwedeng umabot doon iyong PDC. It’s very harmful. And it travels very fast, hundreds of kilometers per hour. It can incinerate everything on its path. Bahay, tao, vegetation,” he said.</p><p>At least five PDCs were recorded on Tuesday, with another confirmed on Wednesday, all confined within two kilometers of the summit. Authorities warned that a partial collapse of the lava dome could generate larger and more destructive currents.</p><p>Alert Level 4 remains a possibility if key parameters change, including an increase in volcanic earthquakes, longer lava flows, or the onset of lava fountaining. For now, Phivolcs said these indicators have not yet been observed.</p><p>The 2026 unrest, however, differs from the 2023 episode in one critical aspect on ground deformation. Phivolcs detected inflation at Mayon as early as July 2024, indicating magma pressurization beneath the volcano, a factor that could prolong the alert level.</p><p>“If this will follow the 2023 template, this would be longer than the 2023 kasi nga, meron kang magma. May pressurization ka. Longer iyong duration. So, iyong 2023, it took 6 months bago natin na lower iyong alert level from 3 to 2,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/06/17/23/erupting-mayon-continues-to-ooze-lava-alert-3-remains">Erupting Mayon continues to ooze lava; Alert 3 remains</a></div><div><br/><strong></strong></div><div><strong>KANLAON REMAINS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 2</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Islands remains under Alert Level 2, with continued ash emission activity and three volcanic earthquakes recorded in the past 24 hours.</p><p>Phivolcs emphasized that ash emissions at Kanlaon are recurring and that residents must strictly avoid the four-kilometer PDZ due to the risk of sudden phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruptions.</p><p>“Sanay na sila diyan sa ash emission activity. Ang sinasabi natin sa kanila ay huwag silang pumasok doon sa permanent danger zone which is 4 kilometers. Kasi nga, anything can happen. Even at alert level 0, dapat walang tao,” Bacolcol said.</p><p>Phivolcs also addressed misinformation claiming that unrest in one volcano can trigger eruptions in others, stressing that Philippine volcanoes operate independently.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/24/kanlaon-volcano-minor-eruption-sends-ash-2-000-meters-into-the-sky-2113">Kanlaon Volcano minor eruption sends ash 2,000 meters into the sky</a></div><p>“Walang relationship iyong dalawa. Iyong mga bulkan natin ay independent. Iba iyong magma chambers nila, magkakalayo. And kung may activity man iyong isang bulkan, it doesn&#x27;t mean na iyong katabing bulkan ay makakaroon din,” he explained.</p><p>Of the country’s 24 active volcanoes, only four currently have alert levels: Mayon at Alert Level 3; Kanlaon at Alert Level 2; and Taal and Bulusan at Alert Level 1. All others remain at Alert Level 0.</p><div><br/><br/><strong>MAGNITUDE 6.4 QUAKE HITS OFF DAVAO ORIENTAL</strong></div><p>Separately, Phivolcs confirmed that a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Davao Oriental on Wednesday, January 7. Initially measured at magnitude 6.7, the quake was later recalculated after additional data were analyzed.</p><p>It originated from the Philippine Trench at a depth of about 16 kilometers and produced a maximum Intensity V shaking.</p><p>“And, although nasa dagat iyong epicenter, based on our modeling, hindi siya kaya makapag-generate ng tsunami,” he said.</p><p>The agency is studying whether the quake was an aftershock of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake recorded in October or an independent outlier, emphasizing that either scenario poses no immediate additional hazard to the public.</p>

<p>Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 after a sharp increase in rockfall activity and the continued growth of a lava dome at its summit, prompting renewed warnings from state volcanologists that hazardous pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) could occur without warning.</p>

Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 after a sharp increase in rockfall activity and the continued growth of a lava dome at its summit, prompting renewed warnings from state volcanologists that hazardous pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) could occur without warning.

Mayon’s unrest intensifies, showing stronger magma pressurization than during 2023 episode

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Mayon’s unrest intensifies, showing stronger magma pressurization than during 2023 episode

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 07, 2026 04:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Phivolcs

Mayon

Mayon Volcano

Kanlaon Volcano

Earthquake

Teresita Bacolcol

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