In brief
A moderately explosive eruption of Mayon Volcano on Friday sent a 3,000‑meter plume into the sky, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology to raise the volcano’s alert level from 2 to 3. Local officials moved more than 1,400 residents from the volcano’s 6‑km permanent danger zone to safer areas, a move enforced by the Philippine National Police.
Over 1,400 residents in Albay province of the Philippines have been evacuated after the Mayon Volcano erupted on Friday, Xinhua reports, following a 3,000‑meter plume that rose above the crater and a “moderately explosive eruption” at 11:53 a.m. local time.
The evacuation involved people living within the volcano’s 6‑km permanent danger zone, which authorities moved to safer locations; the Philippine National Police strictly prohibited anyone from entering that zone due to the potential hazards posed by the eruption, Xinhua said.
Xinhua noted that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Mayon’s alert level from 2 to 3 on the same day, with Level 5 being the highest; the increase reflects the heightened risk of further explosive activity, the agency indicated.
Mayon Volcano, famed for its near‑perfect conical shape, ranks as one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes and has a long history of explosive eruptions that have triggered mass evacuations, Xinhua added.
