Thousands flee erupting Philippines volcano - 15th Dec 2009 11:13am
Tens of thousands of villagers in the Philippines have fled their homes as one of the nation's most active volcanoes spewed lava and sent ash plumes high into the sky.
![[Linked Image]](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01543/volcano-article_1543511c.jpg)
Soldiers and police marshalled the evacuation of about 50,000 people from the so-called "danger zone" of five miels around the foothills of the Mayon volcano, amid concerns a big eruption could occur at any moment.
"After the series of ash puffs and ash explosions of 1,000 metres, we cannot rule out a major explosion," said Cedric Daep, the head of the disaster relief operations in the eastern Bicol region.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for Mayon to three on Monday after lava was seen dripping from the crater, and evacuations began immediately.
Level three means a full eruption is likely in the very near future. The scale runs from one to five, with five meaning an eruption is occurring.
However the volcanology institute also said Mayon could yet calm down without an eruption.
Mayon, which sits above a farming area about 200 miles south-east of Manila, has erupted 48 times since records began, claiming thousands of lives.
Source
Soldiers and police marshalled the evacuation of about 50,000 people from the so-called "danger zone" of five miels around the foothills of the Mayon volcano, amid concerns a big eruption could occur at any moment.
"After the series of ash puffs and ash explosions of 1,000 metres, we cannot rule out a major explosion," said Cedric Daep, the head of the disaster relief operations in the eastern Bicol region.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for Mayon to three on Monday after lava was seen dripping from the crater, and evacuations began immediately.
Level three means a full eruption is likely in the very near future. The scale runs from one to five, with five meaning an eruption is occurring.
However the volcanology institute also said Mayon could yet calm down without an eruption.
Mayon, which sits above a farming area about 200 miles south-east of Manila, has erupted 48 times since records began, claiming thousands of lives.
Source
