Manila, May 3 (IANS) Thousands of people are being evacuated from the area south of Manila after the Mayon Volcano erupted on Sunday, the Philippines government news agency reported.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has issued an advisory for the people, assigning an alert level of three out of five for volcanic activity at Mayon Volcano. Alert level three means Magma is near or at the surface, and activity could lead to a hazardous eruption in weeks. Danger zones may be expanded up to eight kilometres from the active crater.

The institute reported Lava effusion with lava flow on multiple gullies of the volcano with episodic minor strombolian activity and short-lived lava fountaining.

It also mentioned successive pyroclastic density currents (PDC) and ashfall on the southwestern slope of the volcano.

It restricted entry into a 6-kilometre radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and also said flying of any aircraft close to the volcano should not be allowed.

The advisory also included possible hazards of Rockfalls or landslides or avalanches, Ballistic fragments, Lava flows and lava fountaining, moderate-sized explosions, Lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall.

1,325 families are affected, and water supply will be rationed to Quitago, Maguiron, Inamnan Pequeno, Iraya, San Francisco, Travesia, San Rafael, Inamnan Grande, Calzada, Morera, Poblacion and Ilawod villages, reported the government-run Philippines news agency.

The Department of Public Works and Highways, Water filtration units, and water sanitation teams will work on clearing roads and be deployed in the affected regions, added the report.

It highlighted that the Office of Civil Defence-Bicol are determining the immediate needs, which include potable water, face masks (including N95) and medicine for respiratory illnesses.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will distribute hygiene kits along with family food packs and ready-to-eat meals in evacuation centres, the report stated.

The damage reports of livestock and farmlands will be coordinated with the Department of Agriculture by the office of Civil Defence-Bicol, it added.

–IANS

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