Mayon Volcano
The Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the Philippines on the island of Luzon, in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region. The near perfectly cone shaped volcano is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City. Mayon Volcano is one of the candidates of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Mayon is a stratovolcano or composite volcano. The current cone was formed through pyroclastic and lava flows from past eruptions. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Phillipines, having erupted over 47 times in the past 400 years.
Location and formation
Mayon Volcano is the main landmark of Albay Province, Philippines. It is ten kilometres (6 mi) from the Gulf of Albay,
in the municipalities of Legazpi City, Daraga, Camilig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, and Santo Domingo (clockwise from Legazpi). It rises 2462 m (8,077 ft) above the gulf.
Mayon Volcano is the Philippines' most active volcano and is considered to be the world's most perfectly formed volcano[ for its symmetrical cone. It is a basaltic-andesitic volcano.][ The upper slopes of the volcano are steep averaging 35-40 degrees and are capped by a small summit crater. Its sides are layers of lava and other volcanic material.]
Recorded eruptions
Mayon has had forty-seven eruptions in recorded history;
The most destructive eruption of Mayon occurred on February 1, 1814. Lava flowed but not as much compared to the 1766 eruption. Instead, the volcano was belching dark ash and eventually bombarding the town with tephra that buried the town of Cagsawa—only the bell tower of the town's church remained above the new surface. Trees were burned; rivers were certainly damaged. Proximate areas were also devastated by the eruption with ash accumulating to 9 m (30 ft) in depth. 2,200 Albay natives perished in what is considered as the most lethal eruption in Mayon's history.
Mayon Volcano's longest eruption occurred on June 23, 1897 which lasted for seven days of raining fire. Lava once again flowed down to the civilization. Seven miles eastward, the village of Bacacay was buried 15 m (50 ft) beneath the lava. In Libog, 100 people were declared dead—incinerated by steam and falling debris or hot rocks. The other villages like San Roque, Misericordia and Santo Niño became deathtraps. Ash was carried in black clouds as far as 160 km (100 mi) from the catastrophic event. More than 400 persons were killed.[ Samuel Kneeland, a professor and a geologist had observed the volcanic activity five months before the eruption. Kneeland was amazed with the beauty of Mayon:]
No casualties were recorded from the 1984 eruption after more than 73,000 people were evacuated from the danger zones as recommended by scientists of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.[USGS] Pyroclastic flows killed 77 people, mainly farmers, in Mayon’s last fatal eruption in 1993.
2006 activity
On July 18, 2006: The number and size of incandescent rockfalls from the active lava dome, as well as sulfur oxide emissions, increased, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, which warned that pyroclastic flows or an explosive eruption could occur any time.
On August 7, 2006: The Philippine government ordered the evacuation of about 20,000 people living near the volcano, stating that an eruption was feared soon[BBC: Philippine volcano 'set to erupt'.]. Volcanologists have detected 21 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes since early Sunday morning.[National Geographic: Photo in the News: Philippine Volcano Threatens Eruption]
On August 8, 2006: The government expected to move some 34,276 people to 31 state-run shelters and warned that the mountain could explode at any time. [ Manila Standard: 34,000 flee Mayon area; Manila Bulletin: Mayon volcano records 3 additional ash explosions] [ Mayon volcano's lava lights up the clouds near Legazpi City ]
On August 9, 2006: Volcanologists warned that Mount Mayon could explode at any time but that the gravitational pull of a full moon could provide the final push. A full moon coincided with at least three of Mayon’s nearly 50 explosions over the last four centuries, including the two most recent in 2000 and 2001. Nearly 40,000 people have been moved from an 8 km (5 mi) danger zone on the southeast flank of the volcano, which has been quaking and spitting plumes of ash since July.
On August 10, 2006: Scientists in the Philippines renewed warnings of a major explosion at the Mount Mayon volcano, describing a sudden period of quiet as "ominous". A drop in gas emissions and earthquakes sparked fears that the crater had plugged itself, increasing the likelihood of an explosive eruption. ['Ominous quiet' at Mayon volcano BBC News.]
On August 11, 2006: Scientists said ground surveys showed Mayon was still "swollen" and registered a high number of volcanic earthquakes, emitted large amounts of sulfur dioxide gas and continued to eject lava down its slope nearly four weeks after it came to life in a "quiet" eruption on July 14.[Relief goods arrive amid wait for Mayon’s big bang Associated Press]
Philippines Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) maintains threat level at Alert Level 4 for the next month due to the continued extrusion of lava, ash explosions, steam and smoke plumes, seismic activity, and threat of further eruption.
On September 11, 2006 Philippines Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgrades threat level to Alert Level 3. "After the ash explosion of 01 September, a general decline in the overall activity of Mayon has been established. The decrease in key parameters such as seismicity, gas (Sulfur Dioxide) emission rates and ground inflation all indicate a waning condition. The slowdown in the eruptive activity is also evident from the decrease in intensity of crater glow and the diminishing volume of lava being extruded from the summit". [Mayon Volcano Bulletin]
On October 03, 2006 Philippines Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgrades threat level to Alert Level 2. "All monitored key parameters such as earthquake levels, ground deformation and gas outputs further declined. In addition, lava extrusion apparently ceased on 01 October 2006 as reported by Ligñon Hill Observatory. The above observations indicate the absence of an intruding new mass of magma." [Mayon Volcano Bulletin]
On October 25, 2006 Philippines Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgrades threat level to Alert Level 1 (no hazardous eruption imminent). [Mayon Volcano Bulletin]
On November 30, 2006: Typhoon Durian created mudslides of volcanic ash and boulders off the slopes of Mayon Volcano, killing hundreds and covering a large portion of the village of Padang (an outer suburb of Legazpi City) in mud up to houses' roofs.[Typhoon sends red-hot boulders into villages - CNN.com] [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap//ap_on_re_as/asia_storm] The number of dead is estimated at around 1000, either equaling or surpassing the death toll of the 1814 eruption. The precise figure may never be known since many people have been buried under the lahar and entire villages have disappeared. Parts of Daraga were also devastated, including the Cagsawa area, where the ruins from the eruption of 1814 were partially buried once again. Large areas of Guinobatan were destroyed, particularly Maipon. Students from Aquinas University in Barangay Rawis of Legazpi City were among those killed as mudslides engulfed their dormitory. Central Legazpi escaped the mudslide but suffered from severe flooding and power cuts.
Aftermath
Phivolcs did not issue any further alerts or updates for Mayon in November or December 2006, or in 2007-2008.
In 2008, while 7 Natural Wonders of the World were being reviewed, the Philippines selected Mayon as number 11 on their list.
See also
 List of volcanoes in the Philippines
Mayon Volcano Hazard Maps
Mayon Volcano Chronology of Historical Eruptions
External links
Philippines National Disaster Coordinating Council has Mt Mayon updates
Climbing Mayon Volcano
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Mayon Volcano Page
NASA Earth Observatory page
Majestic Mt. Mayon - Cagsawa Ruin Park – images by Jenny Exconde.
Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program - Mayon
Mayon Volcano Natural Park
Visiting Mayon Volcano – Philippines Travel Guide.
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