Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Flood and Lahar from ice and snow
Volcanic Hazards
A. Lava Flow-product of quiet effusion of
molten rock (magma) from beneath a
volcano
700-1200oC
100,000 x as viscous as water
Travels very slowly (< several km/hr)
Lava Effusion vs Explosive Eruption
Gas content determines if it will be an
explosive eruption
As magma rises to the surface where pressure
is less, gases in magma expand. Too much
gas gives magma their explosive character
because of the sudden and tremendous
expansion of gas volume
Explosive eruption -> creates fragments
(tephra)
Quiet Eruption -> creates lava
Amount of Gas = Viscosity
Effects:
Bury, crush and burn everything.
Deaths attributed to lava flow are often due to
related causes:
A. Explosive shower of molten spatter when
lava interacts with water
B. Explosion of methane gas produced by lava
burial of vegetation
C. Asphyxiation due to toxic gases
D. Pyroclastic flow from a collapsing dome of
thick viscous lava flows
E.
meltwater or damming of tributaries
Mitigation:
STAY AWAY from lava danger zones
Diversion of lava flow thru explosives and
barriers
B. Pyroclastic Flow- Hot mixtures of fresh
lava, gas, rock, pumice, and ash that move
down the sides of a volcanic crater at high
speeds during an eruption.
Merapi Pelean
Soufriere
Effects:
Burn(~1000oC)
Impact and burial- due to its speed (>80km/hr),
mass and volume it will knock down, shatter,
bury, or carry away nearly all objects and
structures in its path.
Inhalation of hot ash and gases
Lahar and flooding
Mitigation: Almost impossible except for
AVOIDANCE
C. Tephra Fall
Tephra-Volcanic rocks and lava materials
ejected into the air by explosion or carried
upward by eruption column’s hot gases or lava
fountains which go directly to the ground
Classification according to size:
Ash (<2mm)
Lapilli (2-64 mm in diameter)
Bombs and Blocks (>64 mm)
*Bombs- fresh from magma, smooth
*Blocks- chips of the walls of volcanic vent,
rough or sharp
Effects:
a. Airborne fine particles can cause
conjunctivitis and corneal abrasion,
asphyxiation, and silicosis (scarring of
lungs) for prolonged exposure and
inhalation.
b. Roof collapse and ash falls from roofs
damage critical facilities
c. Ash clogs filters and vents of motors ,
machineries, and nuclear power plants;
clog filters of vehicles (jet engines)
d. Reduce visibility to zero and block sunlight
e. It can contain toxic gases, acids, salts, and
chemicals that can be absorbed by plants
and water bodies.
f. Low permeability of hardened ash deposits
leads to increased run-off, accelerated
erosion and floods
Mitigation:
Evacuation
Personal protective measures
Design filters for machineries
Protection of public utilities
D. Lahar
Process wherein wet cement-like mixture of
volcanic material and water flows down the
slopes of a volcano.
Javanese word for “lava”
How lahars are generated?
Intense rainfall during eruption
Rainwater can easily erode loose volcanic
materials deposited on the upper slope of a
volcano or along the path of a river on its way
down the slope
Eruption alone can trigger lahars by directly
melting snow and icecap.
Effects:
Large volume of materials and speed (70
km/hr)
A hot lahar can be as hot as 100oC
a. Serious economic and environmental
damage to large floodplain areas and those
affected by severed lifelines.
b. Direct impact of the flow and debris such as
logs
c. Anything along the path is crushed, blown
away or buried.
E.g Cagsawa church in Daraga, Albay
Mitigation:
Evacuation
Effective dissemination of lahar hazard
information and good monitoring and warning
system
Mayon and Pinatubo- flow sensors(using
tripwire and seismic signals ) along lahar
channels and monitoring rainfall intensity and
duration.
Retention basins, alternate channels, tunnels,
and concrete structures like dams across the
river channel and dikes parallel to the channel
Signs of Volcanic Eruption
1. Ground deformation- refers to surface
changes on a volcano, such as subsidence
(sinking), tilting, or bulge formation, due to the
movement of magma below the surface.
Tools: Precise engineering methods of
surveying using the instrument Electronic
Distance Meter (EDM) to
measure accurately millimeter changes on
ground (if the slope for the volcano swells)
Deformation on ground is also measured using
data of repeated measurements from
permanent
Global Positioning System (GPS) installed
around the volcano.
• Use of Remote sensing images also help
compare before and after features.
2. Geochemistry
Tools: thermometer , thermocouple, pH meter
What to observe?
• Changes in temperature
• Water becomes more acidic
What to observe?
Some gas, for example SO2 from base
level of 100 tons/day jump to 4,000 tons/day s
can be an indication of unrest
3. Seismic activity developing new residential areas, commercial/
Tool: Seismometer business areas, siting for critical facilities etc.
What to observe?
Increase in number of volcanic 2. Be aware of the kinds of volcanic hazards
earthquakes recorded present in your area.

3. Be aware of the meanings of Alert Levels,

4. Observation:
Intensified steaming activity
• Drying up of vegetation, drying up of
streams, water wells
• Crater glow at the summit area
• Increasing frequency of rolling rocks from
the summit; localized landslides not
related to heavy rains
• Summit area appears to glow or becomes
incandescent at night
and recommended actions. Make sure your
family emergency plan has taken this into
consideration.
 4. Be aware of community efforts such as
identified evacuation areas as well as
designated pick up points . Make sure that the
whole family knows about this.

Volcano Alert Level

define the current status of each volcano.
range from 0 to 5.
guide any appropriate response from the
LGUs.

Permanent Danger Zone

no permanent habitation is recommended
For Mayon Volcano, 6-kilometer radius from
the summit
As soon as Alert Level is raised from 0 to 1, it
is recommended that people should not
venture within this area at any time.
Hazard Map-illustrate potential for ground-
based volcanic impacts—lava flows,
pyroclastic flows, ashfall, volcanic gases, and
more far-reaching hazards (such as lahars) in
valleys that drain the volcano
Safety precautionary measures:
BEFORE!
1. For longer-term development planning,
consult available volcano hazard maps that
indicate areas declared as permanent danger
zones (PDZs) and areas likely to be affected
by different volcanic hazards so that these
areas are avoided when choosing sites for
During
1. Stay inside the house or evacuation area.
2. Listen to the radio for advice and
information.
3. If you are outside and very near the
volcano, leave the area immediately. If
caught in ashfall or tephra fall, seek shelter
immediately. Sometimes, pieces of rocks may
be hot, seek care for burns right away.
4. Do not drive.
If you must drive, keep the car windows up and
do not operate the air conditioning system as
this will bring in ash from outside.
Drive slowly as ashfall will reduce visibility. Ash
on road surface can cause the roads to
become slippery.
7. Protect yourself from ashfall.
I. Close windows and doors
II. Turn off all electric fans and airconditioning
units.
III. Wear dust-mask or cover your face with
clean wet towel or cloth
IV. Better to use bottled water. If you must use
tap water, always boil water first before using
After
1. Listen to the latest update about Alert
Levels.
2. Cook food thoroughly.
3. If the family has evacuated during the
eruption, only the adult members of the family
should be allowed to go home to inspect the
house condition.
4. Only when local authorities have declared
that it is safe to go home that the family should
return.
 5. How to clean up an ashfall?
I. As soon as the ashfall has stopped, remove
the ash immediately.
II. Wear dust mask before you start cleaning.
III. The recommended method to clean the ash
is to lightly damp the ash so that it does not
cloud when swept.
IV. Clean house roofs first, to prevent damage
to gutters and down-pipes.
V. Do not dump ash in sewage systems.
VI. Inside the house, use damp cloth to remove
ash. Avoid vigorous rubbing as ash particles
are very abrasive.
VII. To remove ash from your car, wash with
plenty of water.

 
.