Mayon Volcano Triggers Mass Evacuation in the Philippines
Mayon Volcano Triggers Mass Evacuation in Philippines
The Philippines has evacuated nearly 3,000 villagers from the foothills of Mayon Volcano following a significant increase in volcanic activity. Authorities raised the alert level to 3 after detecting intermittent rockfalls and pyroclastic flows from the volcano's peak crater. This action reflects growing concerns about potential escalation in the coming weeks.
Understanding the Danger Zone
Officials designated a 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone around Mayon's crater, yet thousands of residents have historically defied restrictions to farm and conduct business activities. The evacuation involved troops, police, and disaster personnel relocating over 2,800 villagers from 729 households, with an additional 600 choosing voluntary evacuation to government shelters for safety.
Mayon's Volcanic History
As the Philippines' most active volcano, Mayon has erupted 54 times since records began in 1616. Its most catastrophic eruption occurred in 1814, devastating the town of Cagsawa. Current monitoring indicates slow but increasing effusive magmatic activity, with experts warning that explosive activity could occur within days or weeks.
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