Mayon volcano eruption: 1,500 families evacuated, airspace restricted near Manila (Image: ANI)
Thousands of people have been evacuated south of Manila following the eruption of Mayon volcano, with authorities warning the public to stay away from a six-kilometer radius danger zone and raising the country’s five-step alert system to level three, ANI reported.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported “Strombo-like activity and brief lava outflows” at one of the Southeast Asian country’s most active volcanoes and warned of possible landslides, rockfalls, avalanches and lava flows.According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, nearly 1,500 families are currently living in evacuation centers. More than 26,600 households in Albay province were affected by volcanic ash.
Ground and air disruptions
Large plumes of volcanic ash covered several towns in Albay province on Saturday, posing road hazards to motorists and disrupting traffic due to reduced visibility. Local police distributed masks to affected residents and issued recommendations to limit outdoor exposure.Water supplies were temporarily disrupted in some areas as resources were diverted to road clearing operations. Some agricultural losses were reported after rice fields nearing harvest were buried under volcanic ash.The Civil Aviation Authority issued a flight safety advisory, reminding airlines to be aware of airspace restrictions over Manila. Authorities said the precautionary measures were taken taking into account the potential dangers posed by ash, airborne particles and sudden volcanic activity, which could interfere with aircraft engines and navigation systems.
Ma Rong’s history of destruction
Mayon Volcano is the most active of the 24 volcanoes in the Philippines. It has erupted nearly 50 times over the past four centuries. In February 1841, the most devastating eruption buried an entire town and killed 1,200 people.A volcanic eruption in 1993 killed 79 people. The most recent magma eruption occurred in June 2023, spewing large amounts of lava and toxic gases.In January 2026, the authorities raised the alert level of Mayon Volcano to level 3 after the volcano showed signs of eruption. The same level three alert was issued on Sunday.The 2,463-meter (8,007-foot) volcano is a famous tourist attraction due to its nearly perfect cone shape.The Philippines lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines regularly hit by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Phivolcs also reported that 32 volcanic earthquakes were recorded in 24 hours.Authorities advise the public to strictly observe the permanent danger zone within a six-kilometer radius of the crater.
