MANILA: The number of people displaced by the eruption of the Philippines’ most active volcano has topped 20,000, German news agency (dpa) quoted the country’s national disaster agency on Friday.
Fiery lava continued to flow from the summit of Mayon Volcano in the eastern province of Albay. The dazzling display of Mayon Volcano, which is known for its perfect cone shape, has attracted visitors.
The eruption has affected more than 38,000 residents, the agency said.
More than 20,000 have been housed in 27 evacuation centres, it added.
Mayon has been spewing lava since June 8, and the incandescent flow has reached one kilometre from the crater, the Philippine Institute of Volcanoloy and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in its latest bulletin.
Phivolcs said the alert level for Mayon remained at three, “which means that it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption within weeks or even days is possible”.
The 2,462-m volcano is a popular attraction among tourists and mountaineers, and visitors have been flocking to Albay to witness the eruption.
Tourism officials have issued a list of sites around the province that are safe for viewing the display, especially in the evening when the glow is most visible.
Mayon has erupted more than 50 times in the last 400 years. Its last eruption was in 2018, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. The most destructive eruption took place in 1814, killing 1,200 people. - Bernama
