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Mayon Volcano Erupts: Thousands Flee!
7 Jan
Summary
- Nearly 3,000 villagers evacuated due to Mayon Volcano's mild eruptions.
- Volcano's alert level raised to 3 amid rockfalls and pyroclastic flows.
- Villagers inhabit a permanent danger zone despite ongoing risks.
The Philippines' most active volcano, Mayon, has entered a phase of mild eruptions, leading to the evacuation of almost 3,000 villagers. Authorities elevated the alert status to level 3 after observing intermittent rockfalls and pyroclastic flows from the volcano's peak. This signifies an ongoing eruption, characterized by accumulating lava and a swelling dome that has begun to crack.
Disaster response teams have relocated over 2,800 individuals from households within a 6-kilometer radius of Mayon's crater, a zone officially designated as permanent danger. An additional 600 villagers have sought refuge in emergency shelters voluntarily. Despite prohibitions, thousands have continued to reside and farm within this hazardous area for generations.
Mayon Volcano, famed for its near-perfect cone, is a significant tourist attraction but also the most active of the Philippines' 24 restive volcanoes. Its history includes destructive eruptions, such as the 1814 event that buried the town of Cagsawa and killed about 1,200 people. The persistent habitation within its danger zone underscores the challenges faced by impoverished communities in disaster-prone areas across the archipelago.
