Volcano erupted, thousands fleeing

“Forced evacuations” continue in the region’s high-risk zone due to lava flows at the foot of Mayon, the country’s most active volcano, in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

Intense lava flows began last night on the southern slopes of the Mayon volcano, one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the alert level has been raised in case volcanic activity intensifies.

The institute warned that the evacuation zone could be widened and that people prepare for evacuation to emergency shelters. Mandatory evacuation of people living within a 6-kilometer radius of the Mayón volcano, which is 14 kilometers from Legazpi, the capital of the province of Albay, was carried out.

Although it is prohibited, the region is home to people who are engaged in agriculture. Farm animals are also being evacuated from the high risk area. In the event of an explosion, the alarm level around the volcano was increased to 3 in the 5-level system. Level 3 warns of low intensity earthquakes, strong eruptions of steam and ash, lava flows.

The Mayón volcano erupted in 2018, causing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The Philippines sits on the so-called “ring of fire” fault line in the Pacific, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are intense. (AA)