Vulkaan Mayon op de Filipijnen staat op springen

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Mayon stays at critical level
Mayon Volcano continued to shoot ash clouds in to the sky on Thursday as thousands of displaced residents are set to spend their traditional Christmas Eve in evacuation centers.

More than 20 ash explosions were recorded from 5 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Wednesday reported ABS-CBN Legazpi’s Aireen Perol during ABS-CBN News Channel’s Dateline Philippines. She said that the ash explosion which occurred 8:43 a.m. was reported to have reached 1.5 to 2 kilometers high.

Eighty-two low frequency volcanic quakes were also reported to have been recorded in the same period while rumbling sounds continue to be heard.

There were 4 occurrences of lava fountaining Wednesday night, said Perol, with 1 of these reaching 500 meters from the summit. Several explosions with ejected incandescent lava fragments were reportedly noted during night observations.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology (Phivolcs), in its 7 a.m. bulletin Thursday, said the volcano continues to show intense activity 4 days after it raised Alert Level 4.

Phivolcs said that Mayon’s seismic activity, while lesser in number from the past days, remained elevated in number and size as the agency’s seismic monitoring network detected 815 volcanic earthquakes and continuously recorded harmonic tremors on Wednesday. Many of these volcanic earthquakes were reportedly recorded at maximum deflection.

Ash explosions observed during periods of good visibility numbered 20, said Phivolcs.

The volcano’s sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate reportedly remained very high and was measured at an average of 5,737 tons per day on Wednesday. 124 audible booming and rumbling sounds were intermittently heard for the past 24 hours. Red hot lava also continuously flowed down along the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi and Lidong gullies.

Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum earlier said Mayon's increasing seismic activity could be a sign of a major eruption.

"It has intensified since we hoisted level four, and there have been new explosions," Solidum said. "The tendency of the volcano is that the pressure is getting stronger and stronger and this could lead to a major explosion."

"Mayon remains at a very critical level," he said.

Solidum said however that the agency is not about to raise the alert level warning to its highest at level 5.

“This is actually the highest alert for warning for people to avoid danger zones,” said Solidum on alert level 4.

“But in terms of evacuation of people, the initial evacuation in the extended danger zone would remain the same even if we state alert level 5 or [when] the hazardous eruption is in progress We will observe this in case the hazardous eruption occurs if we will extend the danger zone. But as of now the action plans are the same,” said Solidum.

Phivolcs reiterated that the Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) from the summit of 8-kilometers on the southern sector of the volcano and 7-kilometers on the northern sector should remain free of human activity. The agency had warned that areas just outside of this EDZ should prepare for evacuation in the event hazardous explosive eruptions intensify.

“Sad Christmas”

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported that 9,754 families or 46,639 persons are in 26 evacuation centers.

President Arroyo on Wednesday visited evacuation centers Wednesday after spending a 3-day vacation with her family in Hong Kong.

She met with NDCC officials and also distributed relief goods to evacuees.

Meanwhile, presidential candidates in the 2010 national elections have also visited Mayon evacuees.

On Thursday, Nacionalista Party standard bearer Sen. Manuel Villar II visited 3 evacuation centers in Albay.

Sen. Benigno Aquino III of Liberal Party and former President Joseph Estrada of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino also distributed relief goods on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

Senator Richard J. Gordon, who is also Philippine National Red Cross chair, also reportedly arrived in Legazpi City to oversee PNRC assistance to evacuees as well as to distribute Christmas packages for the displaced residents.

The provincial government of Albay has earlier distributed “Noche Buena” packages to the displaced residents who will be spending their Christmas Eve in the evacuation centers.

On Tuesday night, military and police personnel with Santa hats held a concert for the evacuees to cheer them up during the holiday season. Other children were seen scrambling to line up after being promised free ice cream cones and other Christmas treats if they behaved.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, had earlier declared the area "open season for aid" so charities can go directly to evacuation centers and help spread holiday cheer.

Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year in this deeply religious Southeast Asian country, where more than 80 percent are Roman Catholics.

Daily masses were also being celebrated at the evacuation camps as a balm to frayed nerves.

"We are praying for strength and for Mayon to stop because the booming sounds are frightening the children," an evacuee said.

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Op donderdag 24 december 2009 14:01 schreef Adelante het volgende:
Hij schiet nog niet echt op, he!?

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Thursday 24th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Eruptions continue at Mayon volcano, Philippines. Lava fountains have reached a height of 500 m above the summit. Lava is flowing down the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi and Lidong gullies. Seismiometers measured 815 volcanic earthquakes over the past day. One hundred twenty four booming and rumbling sounds were heard over the past 24 hours. Sulphur dioxide emission was 5, 737 tonnes/day.