The Mayon Volcano in the Philippines erupted, prompting authorities to evacuate dozens of nearby villages, officials said Sunday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued an alert citing a “high level of magmatic activity” and observed lava flows extending for several kilometers.
Phivolcs elevated the alert to Level 3 and enforced a permanent danger zone within a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) radius of the crater. The agency warned residents and responders to expect rockfalls, avalanches and possible moderate explosions, and recorded 32 volcanic earthquakes in the 24 hours before the announcement.
Falling ash has affected roughly 52 villages surrounding Mayon, which stands about 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Manila. The Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region with frequent volcanic and seismic activity.
Rising to 2,463 meters (8,007 feet), Mayon is the country’s most active volcano. Its deadliest eruption occurred in 1814, killing more than 1,200 people; another significant eruption in 1993 killed 79. The volcano is also a popular tourist draw, renowned for its nearly perfect conical shape.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse