Volcano About to Blow in Philippines, Prompting Evacuations

Philippines, Volcano, Eruption, Christmas, Evacuation, Manila 

Sunday, Philippine officials raised the alert level higher as a volcano is about to blow. Locals are not advised to go within a 6 mile radius of the volcano. This comes as harsh news for locals since the Christmas holiday season is coming up. USA Today says:

The Philippines’ most active volcano could erupt within days, officials warned Sunday after detecting a drastic surge in earthquakes and eerie rumbling sounds in surrounding foothills. Tens of thousands of villagers have been evacuated as a precaution.

Scientists raised the alert level for the Mayon volcano to one step below a major eruption after 453 volcanic earthquakes were detected in a five-hour span Sunday, compared to just over 200 Saturday, said Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Mayon Volcano has given off more than 450 tremors in the past half-day, which means that it might blow up soon, says Reuters:

Mayon Volcano, known for its near-perfect cone shape in the coconut-growing central Bicol region, has been spewing ash and burning mud and rocks since Monday, chief vulcanologist Renato Solidum said.

“We raised the alert level to 4 … meaning an eruption is within days,” Solidum told Reuters after aerial inspection and other observations of the volcano showed increased activity in the past 24 hours.

Level 4 indicates an eruption is imminent and the maximum alert level of 5 means an eruption is underway, he said.

Solidum said more than 450 volcanic tremors were monitored in the past 12 hours and rumbling sounds had been heard at the base of the volcano.

More than 40,000 people — about 85 percent of the population in the area — have already been moved to temporary shelters, where food and water stations have been set up. About 50,000 masks were distributed on Sunday to displaced people.

CNN says:

The volcano, about 310 (500 kilometers) south of the Philippine capital of Manila, has erupted 49 times since its first documented eruption in 1616.

The Philippines is situated in the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.