Albay: More than 300 families were forced to evacuate their homes after massive amounts of ash erupted from the Mayon volcano in central the Philippines over the weekend. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that thick ash from the eruption of Mount Mayon over the weekend covered more than 87 villages in three towns in Albay province on Luzon Island. In the municipality of Camalik, the ash was so thick that visibility on roads was zero. More than 300 families were forced to evacuate their homes. Agricultural crops were damaged, and livestock died from prolonged exposure to the ash.
According to Thai News Agency, local authorities continue to strictly prohibit access within a 6-kilometer radius of the volcano due to the risk of landslides, lava flows, and further lava spurts. Although the situation has temporarily calmed down today (May 4) and some residents have begun cleaning up their homes, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned that the danger remains at all times.
Currently, Mount Mayon remains at alert level 3, meaning there is a high level of unrest and a dangerous eruption could occur in the next few days or weeks. Officials from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) stated that this eruption was not a violent explosion, but rather resulted from the sudden collapse of a large accumulation of lava on the southwest slope. This created a pyroclastic flow, a mixture of hot rock, ash, and gases that rapidly flowed downwards.