Philippine authorities have raised the alert level for Mayon Volcano after superheated streams of gas, debris, and rocks cascaded down its slope, raising fears of a hazardous eruption likely to happen within days.
Mayon Volcano, which is one of the country’s most active volcanoes, is 2,463-metre in central Albay province and draws tourists from across the globe for its near-perfect cone shape.
The State Volcanology Agency, in their statement, said the mountain "is exhibiting magmatic eruption."
It warned that the alert level was at three on a scale of five and that the mountain had increased chances of lava flows and potential for explosive activity within weeks or even days.
As the mountain continues to spew volcanic emissions, including lava and rocks, villagers living within a 6km (3.7 miles) radius of the volcano’s crater have been instructed to vacate the long-designated permanent danger zone and move to safer ground.
An eruption in 1993 caused 79 deaths. Subsequent eruptions of the mountain in 2000, 2006, 2009, 2014, and 2018 forced tens of thousands of people in nearby villages to evacuate
