Mayon Volcano Continues to Erupt! Pyroclastic Flows Cascade Down—Affecting 200,000 People
Mayon Volcano in the Philippines unleashed a pyroclastic flow down its southwestern slope, affecting nearly 200,000 people across 124 villages with thick ashfall and forcing over 5,450 evacuations.
Mayon Volcano continues erupting—AP reported on May 5 that nearly 200,000 people in 124 villages in the northeastern Philippines have been affected after Mayon Volcano erupted, spewing ash and smoke since last weekend. There was no explosive eruption from Mayon, which has been erupting mildly on and off since January, but huge deposits of lava on its southwestern slope suddenly cascaded down in a pyroclastic flow—an avalanche of hot rocks, ash and gas—before nightfall on Saturday, said Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. No deaths or injuries were reported, but massive clouds of ash scattered over 120 villages, mostly in Albay province, catching many by surprise and slowing down motorists due to poor visibility. "The ashfall was just so thick and there was zero visibility even in our national road," said Caloy Baldo, mayor of Camalig town, which lies near the volcano's foothills. Agricultural areas suffered damage from the volcanic ash, with reports of 4 buffalo and 1 cow dying in Camalig town. The Department of Social Welfare and Development revealed that more than 5,450 people have been evacuated to emergency shelters in Camalig, Malilipot, Ligao, and Tabaco towns.
