Philippines Evacuates People Near Mayon Volcano, Where More Unrest Indicates Eruption May Be Coming
June 9, 2023 12:16PM CDT
Mayon Volcano spews white smoke as seen from Daraga, Albay province, central Philippines on Thursday June 8, 2023. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Thursday the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 due to "increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption." (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines is evacuating residents near Mayon Volcano as its increasing unrest indicated a violent eruption is possible in weeks or days.
The area within 3.7 miles of Mayon’s crater is supposed to be off-limits, but people have built houses and tended farms in Mayon’s danger zone anyway.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said an evacuation of residents from the permanent danger zone was underway.
The number of people who were leaving wasn’t immediately available.
Authorities raised the alert level for the volcano Thursday after streams of gas, debris and rocks cascaded down its slope.
Marcos said the volcanic activity had advanced a bit more Friday, although lava wasn’t yet flowing.
