Thousands of people have been evacuated from areas south of Manila after the Mayon volcano erupted, with authorities warning the public to stay out of a six-kilometre danger zone and raising alert level 3 on the country’s five-step warning system, ANI reported.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolux) reported “strombolian activity and short-lived lava fountain” from one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most active volcanoes, warning of possible landslides, rockfalls, avalanches and lava flows.According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, around 1,500 families are now living in evacuation centres. More than 26,600 families in Albay province were affected by ash fall.
ground and air disturbances
Heavy ash fell on several towns in Albay province on Saturday, disrupting traffic and causing motorists to face dangers on the road due to low visibility. Local police distributed face masks to affected residents and issued advisories to limit outdoor exposure.Water supplies were temporarily disrupted in some areas as resources were diverted to road clearing operations. Some agricultural losses have been reported due to paddy fields being buried in ash near harvest.The Civil Aviation Authority issued a flight safety advisory, alerting airlines about airspace restrictions over Manila. Officials said the precautionary step was in view of the potential dangers posed by volcanic ash, airborne particles and sudden volcanic activity, which could interfere with aircraft engines and navigation systems.
Mayon’s disastrous history
Mayon is the most active of the 24 volcanoes in the Philippines. It has erupted about 50 times in the last four centuries. The most devastating eruption, in February 1841, buried the entire city and killed 1,200 people.The 1993 explosion killed 79 people. The last magmatic eruption, in June 2023, released large amounts of lava and harmful gases.In January 2026, officials raised the alert level for Mayon to 3 after signs of an eruption were detected at the volcano. The same level-3 alert was issued on Sunday also.The 2,463-metre (8,007 ft) high volcano is a famous tourist attraction due to its almost perfect conical shape.The Philippines is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines frequently affected by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Phivolcs also reported that 32 volcanic earthquakes were recorded within 24 hours.Authorities have advised the public to strictly observe the permanent danger zone within six kilometers of the volcano’s crater.
