Lava flows from Philippine volcano, thousands flee

[Buster's Uncle]

Lava flows from Philippine volcano, thousands flee
Associated Press
By TERESA CEROJANO  2 hours ago



FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2014 file photo, smoke billows from the crater of Mayon volcano, one of the country's most active volcanoes, in Albay province about 550 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines. The Philippines' most active volcano has belched out lava fragments as big as a bus that rolled one kilometer (half a mile) down its slope, prompting authorities to start forcibly evacuating thousands of villagers, officials said Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)



MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines' most active volcano belched out huge lava fragments that rolled about a kilometer (half a mile) down its slope in an ongoing gentle eruption, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers, officials said Tuesday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for Mount Mayon, warning that a "hazardous eruption" is possible within weeks. Increased restiveness was recorded overnight, including the ejection of glowing rocks from the summit and dozens of low-frequency volcanic earthquakes.

Molten lava has accumulated at the top of the 2,460-meter (8,070-foot) volcano's crater, creating a glow in the night sky that sparked both awe and fear among spectators.

"It's already erupting, but not explosive," said Renato Solidum, who heads the government volcano monitoring agency. "Currently, the activity is just lava coming down. If there is an explosion, all sides of the volcano are threatened."

Volcanologist Ed Laguerta said he saw huge glowing lava fragments and super-hot boulders rolling down from Mayon's crater late Monday, when thick clouds parted and revealed the volcano's summit. He said the fragments could be seen from as far as 12 kilometers (7 miles) away.

Mount Mayon, a popular tourist site known for its near-perfect cone, lies in coconut-producing Albay province, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ordered the evacuation of up to 12,000 residents within an 8-kilometer (5-mile) radius of the volcano's crater. Villagers within 6 kilometers (4 miles) of the volcano, which the government has declared a permanent no-go danger zone, face mandatory evacuation.

Disaster-response officials convened an emergency meeting Tuesday to map out steps to avert casualties. They have been concerned over a brewing storm in the Pacific that might hit the country, including Albay, in a few days, adding possible deadly volcanic mudflows called "lahar" to their worries.

"Thousands have been evacuated since last night," Cedric Daep, a safety officer in Albay, said by phone.

Mayor Herbie Aguas said his farming town of Santo Domingo, among the closest to the volcano, has a frightening legacy from Mayon. The volcano nearly wiped out the municipality's entire population in an 1897 eruption with pyroclastic flows — superheated gas and volcanic debris that race down the slopes at high speeds, vaporizing everything in their path.

"We are praying that it would not be the worst-case scenario," Aguas said, adding that nearly 4,000 of the 40,000 residents in his town who live within a government-declared danger zone had started to evacuate to safer areas.

The volcano has erupted 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently, endangering thousands of poor villagers who insist on living or farming in the government-declared permanent danger zone.

Villagers living near the volcano have erected huge white crosses at the entrance of their neighborhoods, hoping they will protect them from harm.

On May 7, 2013, the volcano suddenly spewed ash, killing five climbers, including three Germans, who had ventured near the summit despite warnings of possible danger.

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Associated Press writers Oliver Teves and Jim Gomez contributed to this report.


http://news.yahoo.com/philippine-volcano-spews-lava-thousands-evacuated-100604624.html

[Buster's Uncle]

Thousands evacuated as Philippine volcano threatens to erupt
AFP
By Charism Sayat  7 hours ago



Mayon volcano spews a small amount of white smoke on September 16, 2014, as seen from Legaspi City, Albay province, southeast of Manila (AFP Photo/Charism Sayat)



Thousands of people living near the Philippines' most active volcano began leaving their homes on Tuesday as lava trickled down its slopes and authorities warned of a dangerous eruption.

Mayon, a volcano famed in equal parts for its near-perfect cone and brutal volatility, had begun to stir again with magma rising to the top and small earthquakes rattling deep inside, authorities said.

"A hazardous eruption is possible within weeks," the director of the state volcanology agency, Renato Solidum, told AFP.

Residents within an eight-kilometre (five-mile) radius will be forcibly evacuated, said regional civil defence director Bernardo Alejandro.

He said authorities expect to evacuate almost all of the 50,000 people in the danger zone -- a picturesque coconut farming area near the Pacific coast -- within three days.

"We'll have no problems with the 99 percent who will evacuate but there are some who will be hard-headed," Alejandro said, citing the response to a similar evacuation call in 2009 when some farmers refused to move out.



Mayon volcano spews a small amount of white smoke on September 16, 2014, as seen from Legaspi City, Albay province, southeast of Manila (AFP Photo/Charism Sayat)


"They don't want to leave their houses and their livelihood.... these are coconut and orchid farmers with chickens, pigs and carabaos (water buffalo)."

Locals involved in the tourist industry were expecting Mayon's latest burst to be a mini-boom.

The area, about 330 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Manila, is already a draw for visitors who want to see Mayon's cone, sample the region's spicy cuisine and visit its beautiful beaches.

"This will boost local tourism.... it's like a party, people are out at night watching," said Marti Calleja, who runs all-terrain vehicle tours near the volcano for as many as 100 tourists per week.

"It's dramatic, like a fireworks show.... when there's nothing happening (in the volcano) it's all dark around here, but now it's picture-perfect," Calleja told AFP.



Image taken on May 7, 2013 shows mount Mayon spewing a thick column of ash (AFP Photo/Charism Sayat)


Calleja said that when Mayon became active in the past, his clients often requested night tours to see the glowing crater.

Aljon Banares, who works for a backpackers' inn 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the volcano, was also preparing for more visitors.

"We have more guests in situations like this. Tourists want to see the lava flows," Banares said.

Four foreign tourists and their local tour guide were killed when Mayon last erupted, in May 2013.

However they were on the volcano's slopes at the time, and Banares said tourists would not be in danger if they acted sensibly.

"We tell our clients that it's safe as long as they follow the government's warnings," he said.

The 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) Mayon has a long history of deadly eruptions.

In 1814 more than 1,200 people were killed when lava flows buried the town of Cagsawa.

An explosion in August 2006 did not cause direct deaths, but four months later a passing typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from Mayon's slopes that killed 1,000 people.


http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-orders-evacuation-near-powerful-volcano-034725787.html

[Buster's Uncle]

Philippines warns of possible volcanic eruption
Associated Press
9 hours ago



MANILA, Philippines (AP) — One of the Philippines' most active volcanoes is showing signs of heightened unrest and an eruption is possible within weeks, government scientists warned Tuesday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level to "critical" for Mount Mayon in eastern Albay province late Monday after recording an escalation of unrest over a 15-hour period, including 39 incidents of hot rocks falling in the summit area and 32 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes.

The institute said molten lava and hot volcanic gases have made a glow in the 2,460-meter (8,070-foot) volcano's crater observable.

The activities show "Mayon is exhibiting relatively high unrest and that magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruption is possible within weeks," the institute said in its bulletin.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ordered the evacuation of thousands of residents within a 6- to 8-kilometer (4- to 5-mile) radius of the volcano's crater. Disaster councils of the province and the region met to map out steps to avert casualties, said Jukes Nunez, a disaster management officer in the province.

The volcano institute said that it was important to keep people out of a "permanent danger zone" extending 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the mountain's crater and 7 kilometers on the southeastern flank. However, officials say many people venture into the area to farm or live when there is a lull in activity.

Mount Mayon, located about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila, has erupted more than 40 times over the past 400 years.

On May 7, 2013, the volcano spewed ash, killing five climbers, including three Germans who ventured near the summit despite the permanent danger zone.

Despite the risks, Mayon and its near-perfect cone is a favorite spot for volcano watchers. Most enjoy the occasional nighttime spectacle of the rim lit by flowing lava, viewing from the safety of hotels in Albay's capital, Legazpi.


http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-warns-possible-volcanic-eruption-045637150.html