Kamal Ghorui
Mayon Volcano eruption: 1,500 families evacuated, airspace restricted near Manila (Photo source: ANI)
Thousands of people have been evacuated from areas south of Manila after the Mayon Volcano erupted, with authorities warning the public to stay out of the six-kilometer radius danger zone and raising Alert Level 3 on the country’s five-step warning system, ANI reported.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported “strombolian activity and short-lived lava fountaining” from one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most active volcanoes, warning of possible landslides, rockfalls, avalanches and lava flows.Nearly 1,500 families are now staying in evacuation centres, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. More than 26,600 families across Albay province have been affected by ashfall.
Ground and air disruption
Heavy ashfall blanketed several towns in Albay province on Saturday, disrupting traffic as motorists faced road hazards due to reduced visibility. Local police distributed face masks to affected residents and issued advisories limiting outdoor exposure.Water supply in some areas was temporarily disrupted as resources were diverted to road-clearing operations. Some agricultural loss was reported after rice fields nearing harvest were buried under ash.The Civil Aviation Authority issued a flight safety advisory, alerting airlines of airspace restrictions above Manila. Authorities said the precautionary measure was in view of potential hazards posed by volcanic ash, airborne particles and sudden volcanic activity, which could interfere with aircraft engines and navigation systems.
Mayon’s destructive history
Mayon is the most active of the Philippines’ 24 volcanoes. It has erupted nearly 50 times over the last four centuries. The most destructive eruption, in February 1841, buried an entire town and killed 1,200 people.An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people. The last magmatic eruption, in June 2023, spewed large volumes of lava and noxious gases.In January 2026, authorities raised the alert level for Mayon to 3 after the volcano showed signs of eruption. The same level-3 alert was issued on Sunday.The 2,463-meter (8,007-foot) volcano is a famous tourist attraction due to its near-perfect conical shape.The Philippines is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines often hit by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Phivolcs also reported that 32 volcanic earthquakes had been recorded within 24 hours.Authorities have advised the public to strictly observe the permanent danger zone within a six-kilometer radius of the volcano’s crater.
