Mayon shoots ash column, major eruption nears—Phivolcs

LEGAZPI CITY – (UPDATE) Alert level 5 could be declared any time on Mayon Volcano but volcanologists are waiting for one important sign – a chocolate-colored mass of ash column shooting straight up into the air as high as 10-15 kilometers from the crater.

“Parameters are high until now and the intensifying activity might force us to raise the alert level to its highest level but it would happen only when Mayon shoots a straight ash column containing pyroclastic materials and molten, burning rocks as big as houses or buses from its crater, accompanied by intense rumbling and jittering of the ground felt as far as this city,” said resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has been verifying reports on the drying up of wells in the villages of Maninila, Mabalod, Masarawag in Guinobatan town, located along the western part of Mayon, and in Barangay (village) Buang, Tabaco City on the northeastern side.

He said a team of scientists would be fielded to verify the reports and find the cause as this was part of the physical observations similar to the uneasy behavior of animals confirmed in July when alert level 2 was raised.

Laguerta said an estimated 20 million cubic meters of ash and lava have reached the five-kilometer downslope while fine “irritating” ashes have reached as far as the town of Polangui but mainly affected the towns of Guinobatan and Camalig.

He clarified that in past eruptions Mayon deposited from at least 50 million cubic meters to as high as 150 million cubic meters of volcanic material depending on the intensity of the explosions.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said that during the past 24-hours, seismic activity remained high with a total of 1,059 volcanic earthquakes detected, many of which were at maximum deflection, while harmonic tremors were still continuously being recorded.

The sulfur dioxide emission rate remained elevated and was measured at an average of 6,737 tons per day from Tuesday to early morning Wednesday.

During cloud breaks, a total of 66 ash explosions were observed and the maximum height attained was about one kilometer at 4:21 p.m. on Tuesday, the Phivolcs added.

Audible booming and rumbling sounds were still intermittently heard as red hot lava continued to flow down along the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi, and Lidong gullies.

The lava front has reached about five kms downslope from the summit along the Bonga-Buyuan gully, said Phivolcs.

Phivolcs reiterated that the extended danger zone from the summit or eight kms on the southern sector of the volcano and seven kms on the northern sector should be free from human activity.

The Philippine Army and Philippine National Police Task Force Mayon have been conducting a census of the population who kept on coming back to their houses despite the very abnormal condition of the volcano.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 47,137 persons belonging to 9,880 families from 32 villages are currently in evacuation centers, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Philippine National Police spokesman.

Affected towns and cities include Camalig, Daraga, Legazpi City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Ligao City and Guinobatan, all of Albay.

"Eruption [is] possible within days," Espina said.

He added that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was expected to visit the evacuees this afternoon.

For 42-year-old taxi operator Narciso Marama, Mayon's rumblings have been both a blessing and a curse. Mayon has for years attracted tourists to the province, but it has also caused misery for his family.

"They may have snowfall in other parts of the world, but here, we have ash fall," the father of four told Agence France-Presse. "It's a white Christmas for us too, but this is ash, and we have to wear face masks."

He said relatives from inside the no-go zone have joined tens of thousands in temporary shelters. His own family however remains just on the edge of the danger zone, and have not been moved.

"But if there is a huge eruption, we may also be forced to leave," he said. "I can still remember the devastation three years ago."

When Mayon last erupted in 2006 it oozed lava and vented steam and ash for two months. No one died directly from the eruption, but a powerful typhoon three months later dislodged tons of debris that had collected on its slopes, burying entire towns and killing over 1,000 people.

Marama's house was among those crushed in the mudslide, but no family members were killed.

"We lost everything we owned and had to rebuild from scratch," Marama said. "I still have nightmares from that incident. I am praying that no one is killed this time."

Provincial governor Joey Salceda said resources were fast being strained and declared the area "open season for aid."

"They [aid agencies] don't need to come to my office to deliver aid anymore, they can go direct to the center," he said.

Initial deliveries of food, blankets, medicines, water, face masks and toys and school supplies for the children have been distributed, and local policemen with Santa hats have been trying to cheer the crowd with carols.

Plane overshoots Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – An American Airlines flight carrying 154 people skidded across a Jamaican runway in heavy rain, bouncing across the tarmac and injuring more than 40 people before it stopped just short of the Caribbean Sea, officials and witnesses said.

Panicked passengers screamed and baggage burst from overhead bins as Flight 331 from Miami careened down the runway in the capital,Kingston, on Tuesday night, one passenger said.

The impact cracked open the fuselage, crushed the left landing gearand separated both engines from the Boeing 737-800, airline spokesman Tim Smith said.

Crews evacuated dazed and bloodied passengers onto a beach from a cabin that smelled of smoke and jet fuel, passengers said. Rain poured through the plane's broken roof, one said.

Some 44 people were taken to hospitals with broken bones and back pains and four were seriously hurt, airport and Jamaican government officials said. American Airlines said two people were admitted to the hospital and nobody suffered life-threatening injuries.

The plane skidded across a causeway road before coming to a halt on a grassy embankment. Two gaping cracks marked the fuselage, and the jet's mangled nose section tilted downward just short of the ocean.

Heavy turbulence on the way to Jamaica had forced the crew to halt the beverage service three times before giving up, Pilar Abaurrea ofKeene, New Hampshire, told The Associated Press by phone. The pilot warned of more turbulence just before landing but said it likely wouldn't be much worse, she said.

"All of a sudden, when it hit the ground, the plane was kind of bouncing. Someone said the plane was skidding and there was panic," she said.

U.S. investigators will analyze whether the plane should have been landing in such bad weather, Smith said, adding that other planes had landed safely in the heavy rain.

Passenger Natalie Morales Hendricks told NBC's "Today" that the plane began to skid upon landing and "before I knew it, everything was black and we were crashing."

"Everybody's overhead baggage started to fall. Literally, it was like being in a car accident. People were screaming, I was screaming," she said.

"There was smoke and debris everywhere," after the plane halted, she said. "It was a mess. Everybody could smell jet fuel."

Passenger Robert Mais told The Gleaner newspaper of Jamaica that he had heard the engine's reverse throttle but that the plane didn't seem to slow as it skittered down the runway.

The plane stopped about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) from the Caribbean and passengers walked along the beach to be picked up by a bus, Mais said. Rain came through the roof of the darkened jet and baggage from the overhead compartments was strewn about the cabin, he said.

The plane originated at Reagan National Airport in Washington and took off from Miami International Airport at 8:52 p.m. and arrived in Kingston at 10:22 p.m. It was carrying 148 passengers and a crew of six, American said. The majority of those aboard were Jamaicans coming home for Christmas, Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz said.

Smith said there were two "significant" cracks in the fuselage, and the engines are designed to separate from the wings during an accident as a safety measure.

A team of six investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board was traveling to Jamaica from Washington on Wednesday morning to assist a probe led by the island's government, agency spokesman Keith Holloway said.

The airport reopened early Wednesday after officials had delayed flights because of concerns that the plane's tail might be hindering visibility.

Four hundred passengers waited for their flights to be cleared for takeoff, Security Minister Dwight Nelson told Radio Jamaica.

Heavy rains that have pelted Jamaica's eastern region for four days are expected to dissipate by Thursday. Authorities said the rains washed away a 7-year-old girl on Tuesday and led to a bus crash in which two people died.

NBA Game Result

Philadelphia 98
Washington 105

Detroit 76
Charlotte 88

Indiana 94
Boston 103

Chicago 81
New York 88

Golden State 108
Memphis 121

Atlanta 112
Minnesota 87

Portland 85
Dallas 81

LA Clippers 99
Houston 108

Pacquiao VS Mayweather Canceled if Manny Don't Comply

The most anticipating fight of the decade may turn into ashes, as Pacquiao failed to agree to random Olympic-Style drug testing. Roach said his fighter is willing to comply with strict drug testing but will not allow Manny to have drawn blood 48 hours before the fight. Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter agreed to Roach and said to drew blood could harass Manny and thinks it is stupid.

There was never any suspicion that Pacquiao had ever taken banned substances until earlier this year, when Floyd Mayweather Sr. suggested he was on steroids. Mayweather Jr. had already agreed to the testing and thinks it's a shame for Pacquiao if he is not willing to do the same.

Iphone to hit UK's Vodafone on January 14

All residence of UK will now have a chance of owning an Iphone 3G and 3GS starting on January 14. You can now have a Iphone 16GB 3GS for free on 45 pounds per month with a two year contract. If you pre-order now you can have a free voice call as the contract goes.


The iPhone 3GS 32GB are free on the 75 pound, while iPhone 16GB 3GS are free on 45-pound respectively. The iPhone 3G 8GB sells for free on the 35-pound all with a two year contract.

Mayon volcano could erupt within days

Mayon volcano could erupt within days official warned, after 
detecting earthquakes and disturbing sounds. Villagers has been evacuated for safety precautions.

Mayon last erupted in 2006, and another eruption in 1993 that killed 79 people.

The Philippines lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. The Philippines has 22 active volcanoes.

NBA's Result

Milwaukee vs Indiana
Milwaukee 84
Indiana 81

Utah vs Orlando
Utah 99
Orlando 104

Sacramento vs Chicago
Sacramento 102
Chicago 98

LA Clippers vs San Antonio
LA Clippers 87
San Antonio 103

Cleveland vs Phoenix
Cleveland 109
Phoenix 91

Brittany Murphy's autopsy Completed by Coroner

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County coroner's office says it has completed an autopsy of Brittany Murphy but will defer releasing a cause of death until after toxicology tests are complete.

It says there was no evidence of trauma to Murphy's body.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter says the autopsy was completed Monday.

Murphy died Sunday after collapsing in the bathroom of her Hollywood Hills home. Winter says her family told coroner's investigators she had been suffering from flu-like symptoms in the days before her death.

The 32-year-old appeared in films such as "Clueless," "8 Mile" and "Girl, Interrupted."

San Diego Earthquake

There seems to be mysterious things happening today.

On Monday afternoon there have been huge booms that have shaken buildings, this has been felt as far north as Poway and as far south as Chula Vista authorities have reported.

Around 4 p.m. calls started pouring in to 911 dispatch centers, with enquiries if there had been a massive explosion or even if an earthquake had struck, said Maurice Luque, a San Diego, fire-rescue department Spokesman.
But neither of these could be confirmed, or were likely the case.

Luque also said that civilian authorities reached out to loacl military bases to see if they could answer any of their questions, but they were just as puzzled.

Luque also added that evacuations of a building and fire engines were moved out of a fire-station in Clairemont the event was so intense.

The last similar sounds were felt on the morning of April 4, 2006, in San Diego County which were reported.

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla later that month, claimed the sound was a sound wave, which started in the Pacific Ocean which then reached the Imperial County Desert.

They used data from seismometers around two dozen of them, which traced the likely origin of boom, to a place 120 miles west of the coast of San Diego, which is frequently used for military training.

Although military officials have said there were no exercises at present in action at the time of the boom.