Philippines Issues Alert As Mayon Volcano Spews Ash

Philippine scientists said a “hazardous eruption” of one of the country’s most active volcanoes could be days or weeks away. They urged the evacuation of hundreds of families from their homes. Villagers within a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) radius of the Mayon volcano in central Albay province are expected to be moved to safer areas after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alarm. The government warned civil aviation authorities to tell pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano.

The institute has raised the hazard level of Mayon to three on a scale of five, meaning that an explosive eruption is possible in weeks or even days. Lava flowed about half a kilometer down the volcano’s slope on Monday morning, and ash clouds appeared mid-slope, said Renato Solidum, head of the institute. Several volcanic earthquakes were recorded during the day, and rockfall events were observed, Solidum told reporters. He warned that the eruption might change direction and that pyroclastic density currents could descend in all directions.

Residents near the volcano have been moving to school-turned-shelters. Some evacuees, however, return to their properties inside the danger zone to check on their belongings and go shopping. Civil defense officers say there has been no looting, a relief for the region known for being plagued by criminal activities.

The Philippines is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the so-called Ring of Fire. About a dozen of the archipelago’s 24 active volcanoes are within its borders. The nation is especially vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis, as it sits on a fault line between two massive plates.

The Philippines has suffered several deadly disasters in the past century, including typhoons and earthquakes. In the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, the government launched a significant disaster response effort to rebuild affected communities and reduce future risks. Since then, the Philippine government has improved its preparedness measures and the quality of emergency services. The Philippine government has been monitoring Mayon’s activity closely and has sent teams to assist with the evacuation. Located about 200 miles southeast of Manila, the Mayon is the highest active volcano in the country. Its nearly perfect cone is a magnet for climbers and tourists. But it has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently. The worst eruption in the modern era was in 1814, when lava flows buried a town and killed over 1,000 people. The volcano is among the most active in the Philippines, with 22 other active peaks. The most recent eruption began on Jan. 13 and spewed ash, rocks, and gas for over a week. The summit is about 8,077 feet (2,462 meters) above sea level. Its peak is visible from the capital city of Legaspi, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) away. The volcano has a base of 80 miles (130 kilometers) in circumference and rises to almost 23,000 feet (6,700 meters). Its crater is filled with hot magma.