Mayon volcano spews lava prompting evacuation of thousands in the Philippines

Local residents may have to flee a violent and life threatening eruption

A villager walks as the Mayon volcano spews ashes and lava in Legaspi city. EPA

The Philippines’ most active volcano was gently spewing lava down its slopes on Monday, putting tens of thousands of people on heightened alert for a possible eruption and an evacuation of their homes.

More than 12,600 people have left the mostly poor farming communities within a 6km radius of Mayon volcano’s crater in mandatory evacuations since volcanic activity increased last week.

Thousands more remain within the permanent danger zone below Mayon, an area which has long been declared off-limits, but where generations have continued to live and farm.

As the volcano began to expel lava on Sunday night, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Teresito Bacolcol, said the high-risk zone around Mayon may be extended should the eruption turn violent.

Mr Bacolcol said if that happens, people in any expanded danger zone should be prepared to evacuate to emergency shelters.

“What we are seeing now is an effusive eruption,” Mr Bacolcol told AP.

“We are looking at this on a day-to-day basis.”

From a distance, lava could be seen flowing down the volcano’s southeastern gullies for hours on Sunday night.

In the seaside district of Legazpi, the capital of north-eastern Albay province 14km from Mayon, people hurriedly stepped out of restaurants and bars, with many of them taking pictures of the volcano which is a draw for tourists in the area due to its picturesque conical shape.

Albay was placed under a state of emergency on Friday to allow for quicker distribution of any disaster relief funds in the event of a major eruption amid a warning that a hazardous eruption is possible in weeks or days.

Mr Bacolcol said the alert level would stay at level three of five, but it could be moved higher.

Mayon is one of 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines.

It last erupted violently in 2018, displacing tens of thousands of villagers.

In 1814, Mayon’s eruption buried entire villages and reportedly left more than 1,000 people dead.