In brief
On Friday, Mayon volcano erupted in Albay, Philippines, emitting ash up to 3,000 m and lasting six minutes. PHIVOLCS raised the alert to Level 3, citing increased risk of lava flows and pyroclastic activity, and ordered evacuations inside its 6‑km permanent danger zone. Aviation authorities were advised to avoid the summit.
The Xinhua news agency reported that on Friday at about 11:53 a.m. local time, Mayon volcano in Albay province, northern Philippines, erupted and sent a plume of ash and gases up to 3,000 metres.
PHIVOLCS described the event as a moderately explosive eruption that continued for roughly six minutes before subsiding.
The plume, the agency said, was projected to drift westward and southwestward, potentially affecting nearby communities and agricultural areas.
In response, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Mayon’s alert level from 2 to Level 3, a step up on its scale that signals a higher probability of lava flows and pyroclastic density currents near the volcano’s upper and middle slopes.
PHIVOLCS advised residents within the 6‑km Permanent Danger Zone to leave the area immediately and seek safer ground, while civil‑engineering agencies were tasked with coordinating the evacuation.
Pilots were warned by the Philippines’ civil aviation authorities to steer clear of the volcano’s summit and avoid flight paths that could intersect the eruption plume.
Firstpost noted that the six‑minute eruption had triggered authorities to issue ashfall warnings and to order evacuations within the 6‑km permanent danger area, mirroring PHIVOLCS’s recommendations.
Historically one of the country’s most active volcanoes, Mayon has a near‑perfect conical shape and has erupted frequently, forcing mass evacuations in past decades. The latest activity underscores the volcano’s volatility and the importance of staying alert to official warnings.
