The Philippines’ most active volcano, Mount Mayon, exploded Monday spewing lava and ash and sending a massive plume of smoke into the air.
The volcano has been active since mid-month but Monday’s event forced the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to raise the alert level for Mount Mayon to a level four on a scale of five, warning that a violent eruption may be imminent.
The institute said the lava fountain reached about 700 metres into the sky and produced a four kilometre-high ash plume.
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“We strongly advise all people, both residents and tourists, to avoid the danger zone, and airlines to avoid flying near the volcano summit,” agency chief Renato Solidum told a news conference.
Mount Mayon is located in the coconut-producing province of Albay and is about 340 kilometres southeast of the capital city of Manila. The mountain is a well-known tourist destination and the volcano is famous for its “classical” cone-shape known as a stratovolcano.
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Mount Mayon’s base covers nearly 63 kilometres in circumference and rises 2,462 metres above the towns of Camalig, Malilipot and Santo Domingo.
According to Phivolcs, the volcano has erupted 51 times since 1616. That eruption lasted five days. The mountain remained dormant until 1766 when it erupted twice and sent an eruption column nearly 15 kilometres into the sky. Nearly 40 people died as a result of the eruptions.
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The deadliest eruption happened in 1814. According to the institute, about 1,200 people were killed in the violent eruption which destroyed about half of Albay.
On Monday, Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara said all schools were ordered to suspend classes across the province and advised citizens to “wear their facemasks and to stay indoors.”
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“Mayon Volcano is erupting. Everybody is advised to stay indoors especially to our friends in the third district of Albay,” the governor said on social media.
The governor also shared a Phivolcs information pamphlet on dealing with the “ash fall.” The document details what to do before, during and after the ash has fallen as a result of an eruption.
Instructions include:
- Avoid wearing contact lenses
Cover mouth and nose with clean, damp cloth or dust mask
Place damp towels or cloth at door openings
Boil water before drinking
Here’s a look at Mayon volcano latest activity.
–with a file from Reuters