Residents flee giant ash cloud after Mayon Volcano erupts in the Philippines
The Mayon Volcano in the Philippines erupted this weekend, sending residents and visitors scrambling to escape the ash cloud.
Residents rushed to escape a massive ash cloud as Mayon Volcano erupted in the Philippines on May 2.
Residents in parts of the Philippines were coated in ash while trying to escape when the Mayon Volcano erupted over the weekend, sending volcanic material into the air and across nearby communities.
Video from Camalig, Albay, on Saturday afternoon showed motorists covered in dense ash while waiting at a fuel station as conditions rapidly deteriorated. Additional footage depicts motorists chased by a wall of ash as they rush to escape the town.
One resident, Jerico Rayo, described the experience as sudden and intense.
“It was one of the most unforgettable experiences,” Rayo said. “We reached the town of Camalig. We were excited to see the cone of the Mayon Volcano, but our trip quickly changed."
“We noticed the volcano emitting smoke earlier, but after traveling about 12 hours from Manila, we continued to the town. When we arrived, the volcano was already more active than expected.“
"We were shocked at how fast it escalated," he continued. "The smoke spread all over the area. We panicked because we were not used to volcanic ash, but we were able to return home safely."
Ash plume reached nearly 10,000 feet high
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the eruption produced an ash plume reaching about 9,842 feet into the atmosphere. The activity included strombolian eruptions, pyroclastic density currents, a lava dome collapse and brief lava fountaining.
Ashfall has affected 26,654 families, or about 91,225 people, across Albay, according to Guinobatan Mayor Ann Gemma Ongjoco. Emergency crews deployed fire trucks throughout the province to clear ash from major roads and improve travel conditions.
People look at the Mayon Volcano which remains under alert level 3, in Legazpi, Albay province, Philippines, on June 13, 2023. (Photo by Lisa Marie David/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Our teams are already on the ground, providing assistance and emergency services to affected communities while coordinating with government agencies and disaster response officials,” said Bureau of Fire Protection Region 5 Director Senior Superintendent Achilles Santiago.
The Mayon Volcano remains at Alert Level 3. Authorities have restricted access within a radius of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to reduce risk to the public.
Mayon Volcano history
The Mayon Volcano, known for its symmetrical cone shape, is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Its most destructive eruption occurred on Feb. 1, 1814, when explosions and heavy ashfall buried several towns in Albay.
In the 1814 eruption, 1,200 people were killed, many of whom had taken shelter inside a church in Cagsawa. Only the bell tower remains visible today.
Report a Typo
