Not sure if anyone noticed or been up there lately but the geothermal vents on the side of the road up toward pulangbato are much more active lately! When I first got here they were no where near so active, was up there today and a couple of them are chucking out a thick grey mud now. Is this mountain getting more active?
Yes, saw it today as well on the way up to my 'plantations'. IMHO, no it's not getting more active, quite a few vents have been altered or weathered, washed out by river flooding and mechanically changed by recent civil works on the Okoy river bed. If it's only steam and mud, then I wouldn't worry. If it's molten rock, well yeah maybe I'd go up there via San Antonio, Sibulan.
If the vents start to spit lava out, time to vacate the surrounding areas, other wise no need to worry. Been watching a documentary series about volcanoes and earth quakes, very interesting O-xI
These geothermal vents are caused by water that was superheated after coming in contact with magma. I would guess that the increase in activity could only be caused by an increase in the amount of water reaching the magma or by the amount of magma nearing the water table. I think that any increase in volcanic activity is cause for concern, but in this case, it may just be caused by the heavy rains we had lately that have sent more water into the water table. However, last year, they did remove the families in one Purok in or near Malaunay, Valencia (near PNOC) because of new thermal vents in their area. I am sure, due to the geothermal electrical plants in the area, that their geologists would be monitoring this type of activity. Just have to hope that they are competent and that they would share information about imminent dangers with the public! I know the government constantly monitors the activity at major volcanoes like Canlaon, Tagaytay and Mayon but I don't know about here in Valencia.
Mayon is bad-@ss, one beautiful phenomena of nature. I was the electrician on an old Lykes steamship delivering the condensers for the Mayon geo-thermal project from Texas. We pulled into the port of Tobaco late at night, the next morning I stepped out on the main deck to take a look around, and there was Mt. Mayon, the most awesome sight I've ever beheld. The top of the perfect cone was above the level of the clouds with steam/smoke wisping from the tip. Absolutely beautiful. What most people don't realise is that at one time in history, Mayon had a twin, all that can be seen of it now is the lower base. Looking at the size and gradient of whats left of that, it must have been the same size as Mayon is now at one time..... Till it blew up.....cause it's gone now.
Never heard of that and I worked in Bicol for a while, when I first came over here. Certainly no historical data on the net that I've found, mind you, first recorded eruption of Mayon was by a Dutchman in 1616, so records don't go that far back.
