Manila, Jun. 11, (dpa/GNA) – More than 12,000 residents have been displaced by the eruption of the Philippines’ most active volcano, the national disaster agency said Sunday.
The eruption could last several months, according to government scientists.
The evacuees were from 22 villages around Mayon Volcano in the eastern province of Albay, which has been spewing fiery lava since Thursday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Phivolcs warned the slow eruption of lava at the summit could lead to an “explosive eruption with high-density lava fountaining, long lava flows and pyroclastic density currents” or hot flows of ash and debris.
The national disaster agency said 12,804 residents have so far moved to evacuation centres. The provincial government has declared a state of calamity, speeding up the release of relief funds.
The 2,462-metre volcano, known for its perfect cone shape, is a popular attraction for tourists and mou
Its last eruption was in 2018, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. The most destructive eruption took place in 1814, killing 1,200 people.
GNA