The Mayon volcano in the Philippines erupted, forcing the evacuation of dozens of nearby villages, officials said Sunday.
In an alert published on its website, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned of a “high level of magmatic activity”, with lava flows extending for several kilometers.
It issued a Level 3 alert and said a permanent danger zone within 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) of the volcano’s crater should be strictly monitored.
Phivolcs also warned that rockfalls, avalanches and medium-sized eruptions were possible, adding that 32 volcanic earthquakes had been recorded within 24 hours.
About 52 villages around Mayon, which is located about 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of the capital Manila, have been affected by falling ash since Saturday, the PNA news agency reported.
The Philippines is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines frequently affected by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
Mayon, 2,463 meters (8,007 ft) high, is the country’s most active volcano.
Its most severe eruption in 1814 killed more than 1,200 people. 79 people died in the 1993 explosion.
Edited by: Louis Olofse