Fewer earthquakes have been recorded in the lava-spilling Mayon, but magma continues to build up inside and any lull in activity could be followed by a bigger eruption, scientists said Saturday. A hazardous eruption remains possible within days, and residents who live near the volcano's slopes should not be misled into leaving the evacuation centers where they spent Christmas and venturing back to their homes, volcanologist Ed Laguerta warned. “The number of volcanic earthquakes has gone down, but this is just part of the eruptive cycle of Mayon,” he said. Alert level 4 remains around Mayon as pressure continues to build up inside volcano, officials said. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) advised residents not to return to the slopes of the volcano, particularly on its southern part where smoldering lava cascades down the active river channels. NDCC officials said the slopes would be very dangerous, particularly during bad weather or when there is prolonged rainfall as the cascading lava could be washed down unto the plains. At least 10,032 families or 47,560 people are sheltered in 29 evacuation centers in Camalig, Daraga, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Tabaco City and Ligao City. The NDCC said most of the new evacuees were from Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao cities and Malilipot and Sto. Domingo towns. Laguerta said Mayon spews out 9,000 tons of sulfur dioxide Saturday, much more than the 2, 378 tons emitted last Thursday. Some 20 million cubic meters of flowing lava, that becomes luminous at night, were recorded at the gullies, Laguerta added. This indicates that the 2, 460-meter-high volcano is in “high level of unrest,” he said. Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoped that a developing storm would dissipate and would not bring heavy rains to the area. Robert Sawi, chief of Pagasa's weather forecasting section, said the “weak” rain-inducing low pressure area was still over Marianas and Caroline Islands. There is a “50-50” chance for the developing storm to enter the country, he said. State meteorologists said the weather disturbance is threatening to hit the southern part of the country and bring heavy rains to Albay.
