ALBAY, Philippines — Mayon Volcano showed renewed signs of unrest Thursday morning after a weak ash explosion was recorded at its summit crater, sending a grayish plume about 500 meters above the crater before it drifted east-northeast.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the event occurred at around 9 a.m. on August 27, 2026, and was captured by monitoring cameras at the Calbayog Observation Station and the Mayon Volcano Observatory in Ligñon Hill.
The latest activity comes just days after Mayon also produced ash emissions on August 25 and 26, signaling that the volcano continues to show intermittent activity despite its lower alert status. The Philippine Tribune reported that a stronger ash event on Wednesday sent a plume as high as about 1,500 meters, while Inquirer reported an earlier Wednesday ash emission at around 8:30 a.m.
Mayon remains under Alert Level 2
PHIVOLCS continues to place Mayon under Alert Level 2, which indicates a moderate level of volcanic unrest. The agency lowered the volcano from Alert Level 3 to Level 2 on August 5 after monitoring showed a general decline in several indicators of eruptive activity.
However, PHIVOLCS has stressed that the downgrade does not mean Mayon’s unrest has ended.
The volcano remains pressurized, and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions continue to indicate that volcanic processes are still occurring beneath the edifice. Earlier this month, PHIVOLCS reported a sharp increase in SO₂ emissions, reaching 8,393 tons per day on August 17, the highest recorded since volcanic gas concentrations began declining in July. The agency warned that the increase could precede renewed eruptive activity.
26 volcanic earthquakes recorded
During its latest 24-hour monitoring period, PHIVOLCS recorded 26 volcanic earthquakes at Mayon. The volcano also released approximately 5,937 tons of sulfur dioxide on Wednesday, up from 5,052 tons recorded the previous day, according to Inquirer.
These indicators are being closely watched because changes in volcanic earthquakes, gas emissions, ground deformation and surface activity can provide important clues about changes occurring beneath the volcano.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, citing PHIVOLCS observations, has likewise reported continuing low-level eruptive activity at Mayon and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions in August.
What residents need to know
Despite the latest ash explosion, there has been no announcement that Mayon’s alert status has been raised above Level 2. PHIVOLCS continues to prohibit entry into the volcano’s 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and advises aircraft to avoid flying close to the summit.
PHIVOLCS has warned that Mayon can still produce sudden phreatic or steam-driven explosions, rockfalls, landslides, ballistic fragments and other volcanic hazards. Heavy or prolonged rainfall can also trigger lahars and sediment-laden flows along channels draining the volcano.
For communities around Mayon, the latest ash explosion is therefore a reminder that the volcano’s quieter appearance should not be mistaken for a complete return to normal.
For now, the key message from authorities is vigilance: Mayon remains at Alert Level 2, but its activity continues to be closely monitored for any signs of escalation.
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