What a difference a week makes in the life of an active volcano. Last week at this time the experts thought we were in for a large eruption. They said it wouldn't be anything like Mt. Saint Helen because it is a different kind of volcano, but it would be large compared to what we have had. Now you look at it and it is so innocent and beautiful. We see hardly any smoke only the canals where the green is completely gone and there is black lava rivers embedded deep in the mountain. It is quiet beautiful whether it is awake or asleep.
They talk about the tons of sulfur dioxide that is emitted each day. Ed, the expert, thought when the eruptions were over it would have sent out 20 to 50,000 tons of the sulfur dioxide. Also when we were at Philvocs they told us it was erupting or have earthquakes two hundred plus a day. We never felt the earth quakes but we did on Christmas Eve hear the moan and the rumble that the mountain was making just before a large eruption would occur.
We also have pictures of jagged edges of years old lava that are all filled now and the cone is more perfect than when it started erupting.
The alert level has been reduced to 3 and the evacuees have been given the green light to go home. So it looks like all is well with Mother Nature once again, but for how long, well that remains to be seen. We are excited though because they may reopen the Mayon Rest house, a tourist area part way up the volcano, and we will be able to visit be fore we come home.
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