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Filipino Volcanologists Announce Mayon Warning

Filipino volcanologists this week warned of an imminent eruption of the Mayon volcano, this after it reportedly belched ash three times. Authorities in the Philippines have since called for the evacuation of thousands residents who would be in danger from an eruption whenever it occurs. Mayon is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. In recent memory, it erupted in 1993 and caused 79 deaths, and then again erupted in 2001. Mayon?s most violent eruption, which occurred in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a town under mud, reminiscent of the eruption of Pompeii during the time of ancient Rome.

Ed Laguerta, who is a volcanologist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the Mayon volcano ejected ash three times earlier this week on Monday, and stated that unusually high volumes of sulfuric dioxide have been emitted in connection with the event. If that wasn?t enough to convince authorities, over 100 tremors have also been recorded the past 24 hours near Mayon, with the indications. ?This means there is more magma rising from beneath the volcano,? Laguerta said.

On Monday, the Philippines raised the alert level for Mayon to 4, which is the second highest level. The raising of the alert level prompted the mandatory evacuation of the an estimated 35,000 people living near the radius within the permanent danger zone. Jake Nunez, of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council of Albay province, said over 28,600 of the 35,000 villagers in the area have already been evacuated and are now housed in several evacuation sites. An additional 20,000 people would be evacuated in case of a major eruption, the province?s governor said.