Philippines Evacuates Thousands as Mayon Volcano Erupts with Ash and Smoke
Philippine authorities evacuated nearly 1,500 families after Mayon Volcano erupted with ash and smoke on May 3, prompting a Level 3 alert for the 2,462-meter peak south of Manila.
On May 3, Philippine authorities rushed to evacuate thousands of residents from areas south of Manila after Mayon Volcano, a 2,462-meter conical peak, erupted with ash and dense black smoke blanketing a wide region. Officials advised residents to avoid a 6-kilometer radius around the volcano, while the volcanology institute issued a Level 3 alert on its five-point scale, warning of dangers from landslides and lava flows.
The volcanology institute reported that Mayon Volcano is displaying strombolian activity—a moderate-level eruption characterized by repeated bursts of viscous lava, gas, and volcanic rock fragments. Nearly 1,500 families have been relocated to temporary evacuation centers, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Heavy volcanic ash has covered several towns in Albay province in the Bicol region of southeastern Luzon, causing severe traffic disruptions, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
