Mayon under Alert Level 3

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January 7, 2026 | 12:00am

As risks of an explosive eruption increase

MANILA, Philippines — State volcanologists yesterday raised the alert status at Mayon Volcano in Albay from Level 2 to 3 due to intensified unrest caused by lava dome growth at the summit and increased pyroclastic density currents.

Teresito Bacolcol, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), yesterday told “Storycon” on One News that Alert Level 3 means an increased likelihood of hazardous volcanic activities including lava flows, pyroclastic density currents, rockfall events and possible explosive eruption within days or weeks.

Phivolcs said that the escalation of Mayon’s activity was driven by a repeated collapse of the unstable summit dome, which has been occurring since the alert status was raised from Level 1 to 2 on Jan. 1.

Bacolcol said that Mayon’s steep slopes make lava domes unstable and prone to collapse, which can generate rockfalls and pyroclastic flows.

“A total of 346 rockfall events and four volcanic earthquakes have been recorded since Jan. 1, compared to 599 from November to December,” Phivolcs said.

Because of the increased alert status, entry to the volcano’s permanent danger zone is stricty prohibited.

Phivolcs said that rockfall events, which lasted between one and five minutes, pushed lava debris down the southern slope of the volcano.

It said the volume of rockfalls increased in recent days, with several events showing incandescence at night, indicating that the summit lava dome is growing and new lava is being extruded at the crater.

Seismic activity records showed that pyroclastic density currents lasted three minutes and were deposited within two kilometers of the summit crater.

Phivolcs said that Mayon’s eastern and southeastern slopes have remained inflated since June 2024.

Bacolcol said that incandescent rockfall events occur when collapsing rocks are still hot, making them appear to be glowing or luminous, especially at night.

He said that the rising magma can push rocks down the slopes, making them easier to dislodge.

Bacolcol said an ordinary rockfall is caused only by gravity or structural instability and the rocks are not hot and glowing, Bacolcol said.

“This means that rockfall events indicate an early sign of magmatic activity even before an eruption occurs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kanlaon Volcano in Negros spewed gray ash clouds yesterday and on Jan. 3.

The emission yesterday lasted almost three hours and 30 minutes, or from 5:55 a.m. to 9:25 a.m., according to Mari-Andylene Quintia, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in La Carlota City.

Alert Level 2 remains hoisted over Kanlaon and entry into the danger zone is prohibited.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has issued an expanded flight safety advisory due to increased activities of Mayon and Kanlaon. — Rudy Santos, Gilbert Bayoran, Evelyn Macairan