The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has raised alert levels to three on a scale of five, which indicates the increased likelihood of an eruption “within weeks or even days”.
Nearly 15,000 people have fled from villages surrounding Philippines’ most active volcano following a gentle eruption that scientists warned could turn explosive.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has raised alert levels to three on a scale of five, which indicates the increased likelihood of an eruption “within weeks or even days”.
Lava flowed at least half a kilometre down a gully from the crater of Mount Mayon on Monday morning and ash clouds appeared mid-slope as lava fragments rolled down, said Renato Solidum, who heads the volcano institute.
Residents have been moving to evacuation shelters since Sunday evening when molten rocks and lava lit the night sky in a reddish-orange glow despite the thick cloud cover.
More than 14,700 people have since been moved from high risk areas in three cities and four towns and told to leave a seven-kilometre radius from the danger zone, according to disaster-response officials.
Planes have also been warned not to fly close to the volcano.
Mayon lies in coconut-growing Albay province about 340km south-east of Manila, and has been popular with climbers and tourists.
It has seen a history of sometimes violent eruptions, having belched lava almost 50 times in the last 500 years. The ash eruption in 2013 killed five climbers who had ventured near the summit despite warnings of possible danger.