Albay public safety office closely monitoring volcano

The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) continues to closely monitor the activity of Mayon Volcano amid the current new moon, citing scientific studies that suggest lunar and solar gravitational forces can act as possible triggers for volcanic activity under certain conditions.

- By NINO LUCES

APSEMO chief Roderick Mendoza said they are maintaining heightened vigilance due to the potential effects of the combined gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, a phenomenon that occurs during the new moon phase.

Mendoza emphasized, however, that this factor is considered a trigger rather than a primary cause of an eruption.

"The possibility is not high. It can only happen if the volcano is already primed to erupt. It's true. Mayon could sometimes be lunatic, but only under the right conditions," Mendoza said, noting that scientific research shows tidal forces only come into play when a volcano is already in a critical or eruptive stage.

The scientific process behind this phenomenon is known as tidal triggering, driven by solid Earth tides, the subtle deformation of the Earth's crust caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.