Thousands evacuated following lava flow from Philippine volcano

NewsBharati 15-Jan-2018

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Manila, January 15: We have not crossed even first month of New Year but within this short span another Volcano has returned to its active life. The angry volcano in the Philippines got back to life as lava flowed down its crater. The eruption has prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers from the area around the volcano.

On late Sunday, the alert level was increased to three on a scale of five due to an increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology increased the alert level for Mount Mayon. On Monday morning, ash clouds appeared mid-slope. Mount Mayon’s last destructive eruption was in 1841 when lava buried a town and killed 1,200 people.

"Mayon's summit crater is now exhibiting bright crater glow that signifies the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The latest eruption started from Saturday and since then it has recorded 158 rockfall events. People were urged to stay away from a 6km radius Permanent Danger Zone and a 7km Expanded Danger Zone. Even people out of the danger zone but staying on the slope of the volcano have also been advised to take precautionary measures to prevent the effects of ash and rainwater, and "lahar", an Indonesian term for a volcanic mudflow.

Volcano Mount Mayon Phiippine Natural calamity