Ibinaba na ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) ang alert status ng Bulkang Mayon sa Alert Level 2 (moderate level of unrest), mula sa Alert Level 3 (increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption), nitong Biyernes, Disyembre 8.

Sa isang advisory, inihayag ng Phivolcs na naitala ng kanilang araw-araw na obserbasyon sa Mayon ang “general decline in unrest” mula umano noong Nobyembre 2023.

“Volcanic earthquakes generated by magma extrusion and degassing and occasional rock-fracturing beneath the edifice have decreased from a monthly average of 11 events/day in November 2023 to nearly 0 event/day in the first week of December 2023,” saad ng ahensya sa kanilang advisory.

Ayon pa sa Phivolcs, nakitaan din nila ng pagbaba ang mga naitalang rockfall at pyroclastic density currents or PDCs, kung saan mula sa monthly averages na 122 hanggang 87 rockfall events kada araw at 5 hanggang 2 events ng PDCs kada araw sa pagitan ng Oktubre at Nobyembre 2023, naging 0 event kada araw na lamang umano ang naitala sa unang linggo ng Disyembre 2023.

“These decreases indicate that magma supply to the summit crater has significantly diminished, resulting in the cessation of lava effusion from the crater and lava collapse-driven rockfall and PDC activity,” anang Phivolcs.

“Volcanic SO2 emission measured by campaign Flyspec measurement peaked at an average of 4,756 tonnes/day on 16 August 2023 and has since been decreasing and increasing in cycles of generally lessened peaks,” dagdag pa.

Sa kabila naman ng pagbaba ng alert status ng bulkan, binigyang-diin ng Phivolcs na hindi ito nangangahulugang huminto na ang pag-a-alburoto nito.

“Mayon Volcano remains inflated and the emission of SO2 remains high relative to baseline levels,” anang Phivolcs.

“The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and do not enter the the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone to mitigate potential hazards such as explosions and rockfalls,” saad pa nito.