Pilot advised to avoid Mayon amid increasing unrest
THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued a “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) in the area of Mayon Volcano and advised pilots to avoid the area from Monday, October 31, 2022 to Tuesday, November 1, 2022.
CAAP Spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the agency issued the advisory due to Mayon Volcano being on alert level 2 and “increasing unrest.”
Apolonio said flight operations are advised to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.
In the past 24-hour period, the Mayon Volcano Network did not detect any volcanic earthquake. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission was last measured at an average of 260 tonnes/day on October 13, 2022.
Based on ground deformation parameters from EDM (electronic distance measurement), precise leveling, electronic tilt, and continuous GPS (Global Positioning System) monitoring, Mayon Volcano has been slightly “inflated” ground swelling due to the accumulation of magma since 2020.
The public is reminded that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruptions.
Entry into the six-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is strictly prohibited to minimize risks from sudden explosions, rockfall, and landslides. In case of ash fall events affecting communities downwind of Mayon’s crater, people should cover their noses and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask.
