TWO solar panels used in monitoring Mayon Volcano’s activities in Albay were stolen, a state seismic bureau official said Thursday.Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum said that the two 150-watt solar panels were stolen at the Mayon Resthouse Observatory, which hosts instruments for monitoring, and Global Positioning System (GPS).He added that with loss of power, no data would be transmitted from the station, and would consequently affect its monitoring of Mayon.“All our stations around volcanos are powered by batteries and these would be charged by solar panels,” said Solidum on the sidelines of the Copernicus event in Makati City.“This will be valuable in really determining the appropriate actions in terms of volcano activities in their respective areas,” he added.On Wednesday, Phivolcs announced that it has observed a “crater glow” at the Mayon Volcano, indicating “that remnant magma may be quietly rising to the shallow levels of the edifice.”Alert level 2 remains at the volcano given its “moderate level of unrest,” the state seismology agency said.Mayon Volcano last erupted in 2018. Since then, it has shown “declining earthquake activity and sulfur dioxide emissions,” but slight swelling on its edifice begin in February 2019.
