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LEGAZPI, Philippines – Fewer earthquakes have been recorded in the Philippines' lava-spilling Mayon volcano, 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.

The number of quakes decreased from 871 recorded during the 24-hour period ending Friday morning to 406 recorded during the next 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Laguerta said instruments showed the volcano remained inflated despite having spilled more than 26 million cubic yards (20 million cubic meters) of lava over the last two weeks. That means the lava being released is being replaced by magma coming from beneath the volcano.

"We are looking at not only at what Mayon is presently exhibiting, because that fluctuates. We are also looking at its past characteristics," he said, recalling that in 1984, a four-day lull was followed by Mayon's sudden, big eruption.

Full article here

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ORIGINAL: Rule

Whatever are the people of the Philippines going to do with all that spilled lava? Perhaps they can sell it on e-bay?

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Prolonged eruption phase for Mayon predicted


LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines  — A prolonged eruption phase for the rumbling Mayon volcano could happen due to frequent ash explosions that is not culminating in a major explosion, a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismo-logy (Philvolcs) volcanologist predicted yesterday.


Alex Baloloy told The STAR that although Mayon has had numerous ash explosions, it is not proceeding to a more explosive phase.

In previous eruptions of Mayon, particularly from 1984 to 2006, it only took five to 10 incidents of ash explosion before it shifted to vulcanian or explosive eruption phase. “But it’s really different this time. We already recorded over a thousand ash explosions since Dec.14 but still, we do not see the violent ones. Mayon is likely to have a prolonged eruption phase,” Baloloy said in an interview.

Philvolcs director Renato Solidum, however, said that although Mayon is displaying some new and different characteristics, particularly more ash explosions, strong rumblings and frequent tremors, adequate time is needed to determine if there would indeed be a longer episode. “It is still early to conclude whether Mayon will have a prolonged eruption. Let’s observe for a few more days,” Solidum told The STAR.

Full article here.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity




I've been watching this story unfold for weeks now, and thought it might be a good time to post a thread about it. 47,000 people have been evacuated so far, and this volcano has a long history of very violent eruptions.

Stories like this give me awe and respect for the forces of nature as well as make me extremely thankful for what I have.

quote:

LEGAZPI, Philippines – Fewer earthquakes have been recorded in the Philippines' lava-spilling Mayon volcano, 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.

The number of quakes decreased from 871 recorded during the 24-hour period ending Friday morning to 406 recorded during the next 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Laguerta said instruments showed the volcano remained inflated despite having spilled more than 26 million cubic yards (20 million cubic meters) of lava over the last two weeks. That means the lava being released is being replaced by magma coming from beneath the volcano.

"We are looking at not only at what Mayon is presently exhibiting, because that fluctuates. We are also looking at its past characteristics," he said, recalling that in 1984, a four-day lull was followed by Mayon's sudden, big eruption.

Full article here

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ORIGINAL: Lorr47
You realize that this is all caused by global warming?

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ORIGINAL: Sanity


There was a show on the History Channel that claimed something like that, only it was the Icelandic volcanoes may be experiencing a resurgence (if I am remembering it right) because the melting glaciers there are relieving so much weight from over the supervolcanic magma chambers... and the danger is so massive and so extreme that if we don't give up our SUVs and our pets like, yesterday, we may all be doomed as a result.

It was one of those things that make your eyes roll...

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ORIGINAL: Lorr47
You realize that this is all caused by global warming?