Director Teresito Bacolcol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned that thousands of residents living at the foot of the Mayon volcano in Albay province are at risk of a volcanic eruption lasting several months.

Ash spews from Mount Mayon's crater in Legaspi, Albay province, the Philippines, on June 8, 2023. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

According to Phivolcs, lava flows from the summit crater of Mayon volcano commenced on June 11. Since then, 21 weak volcanic earthquakes and 260 rockfall events have been recorded in the area.

Alert Level 3 is raised over Mayon volcano, which means that it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days.

More than 14,000 villagers living in the danger zone have been evacuated and sheltered in schools and other locations.

Mount Mayon, situated on Luzon island about 330km southeast of Manila, last violently erupted in 2018, causing the evacuation of over 23,000 people.

Source: VNA