A moderately explosive eruption at Mayon Volcano in the Philippines prompted authorities to raise the alert to Level 3 and evacuate 2,041 residents, with a fresh ash emission recorded early on Saturday, October 31.
The Mayon volcano eruption evacuation began after the eruption at 11:53 a.m. local time on Friday, October 30, produced a dense, rapidly ascending ash plume that rose about 3,000 metres above the summit crater. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the alert from Level 2 to Level 3 at 12:30 p.m.
746 families moved from the danger zone
Albay authorities ordered mandatory pre-emptive evacuations from the six-kilometre Permanent Danger Zone. By 5 p.m. on Friday, 746 families comprising 2,041 residents had been evacuated, covering Tabaco City (531 families), Camalig (205) and Barangay Baligang in Ligao City (10). The provincial governor suspended classes at all levels in public and private schools, and the provincial disaster operation centre was placed on red alert.
The provincial health office reported distributing 22,000 surgical masks as ashfall was expected in Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan and adjacent municipalities, dispersed west-southwest.
Alert Level 3 still in force on Saturday
In its October 31 monitoring summary, PHIVOLCS said Level 3 remained in effect, recording 15 volcanic earthquakes and 30 rockfall events in 24 hours, plus an ash emission at 5:17 a.m. on Saturday that rose 200 metres above the crater and drifted west-southwest. The agency assessed the eruption as a new phase of magmatic eruption, raising the chances of lava flows and hazardous pyroclastic density currents on the upper to middle slopes in the coming days to weeks.
PHIVOLCS warned against entry into the six-kilometre danger zone, barred aircraft from flying near the summit, and warned of rockfalls, lahars and sediment-laden streamflows during heavy rain. Mayon’s perfect cone is one of the world’s most photographed volcanoes — and one of its most dangerous.
Living in Mayon’s shadow
Mayon is one of the most perfectly shaped volcanoes on Earth — and one of its most restless. Communities around it have lived with evacuations for generations, and the routine is grimly familiar: pack, leave, wait in an evacuation centre, and return to ash-covered fields. The 2,041 people moved on Friday join a long line of Albay residents who know the drill. What they cannot know is whether this eruption stays moderate or turns hazardous — which is exactly why PHIVOLCS raised the alert.
