Mayon ejects lava spines; more rockfall events seen

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December 11, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Increased rockfall events are expected at Mayon Volcano in Albay after fresh lava spines were spotted at the summit, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Phivolcs said the ejection of lava spines indicated that shallow magma was rising from beneath the volcano.

In an advisory released yesterday, Phivolcs said photographs taken from Dec. 8 to yesterday showed dark lava spines pushing out of the summit lava dome.

These activities have been observed over the past week, with a sharp increase in rockfall events, the agency said.

“The extrusion of new lava spines led to the increase of rockfalls from an average of three events per day in the past few months  to 16 per day this month,” Phivolcs said.

Although Mayon remains under Alert Level 1 or low-level unrest, state volcanologists  said the increased activity still poses potential danger.

Entry into the volcano’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited due to rockfalls, landslides and possible sudden steam-driven explosions.