ALBAY, Philippines – Following the magmatic eruption and formation of a lava dome at its summit, at least 3,125 residents from several Albay towns were evacuated from Mayon Volcano’s 6-kilometer permanent danger zone on Wednesday morning, January 7.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) has placed the volcano under Alert Level 3, signaling a high level of unrest. Experts warn that a hazardous eruption, characterized by lava flows and Pyroclastic Density Currents (PDCs), is possible within days or weeks.

In Camalig, 123 families (456 individuals) have already been evacuated, nearing the target of 163 families (572 residents).

“We are asking for the cooperation of the residents. Please remain calm and follow the directions of barangay responders to ensure that evacuation efforts remain organized,” Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo said.

Baldo urged residents to help one another during the crisis while ensuring that everyone remains in good condition following the alert.

He added: “There is no more time to hesitate. It is time for us to help each other. Be alert, prepare, pray, and help others. Let us take all advisories from the local government seriously to ensure the safety of all families in Camalig.”

Heightened alert

Meanwhile, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) Officer-in-Charge Roderick Mendoza assured the public that the province is actively executing the evacuation order for residents within the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ). 

Mendoza shared that APSEMO and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) are already planning for the evacuation of residents within the 7-8 km extended danger zone, should Mayon be placed under Alert Level 4.

“In case we reach Alert Level 4, more people will be evacuated — almost 79,000 residents,” he said. “That is why we are having successive meetings and coordination with various government agencies.”

Aside from the preemptive evacuation, the provincial government of Albay is already preparing to distribute relief goods to the affected families. Albay Governor Noel Rosal shared that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already provided the relief packs required for distribution across evacuation centers, as of Wednesday.

“The good thing now is that the DSWD has taken charge of the food supply, so food security is not much of a problem for us. But because Albay remains under a state of calamity, funds can still be used for various municipal concerns, and the province is ready to assist. For now, the response is a collaborative effort,” Rosal said in an interview.

Possible lahar flows

Aside from Mayon’s volcanic activity, Albay is experiencing continuous heavy rainfall due to a shear line. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), these weather conditions are expected to persist until Sunday, January 10.

PAGASA warned that the prolonged rainfall may trigger lahar flows, given Mayon’s ongoing state of unrest.

“Lahars, sometimes called volcanic mudflows or debris flows, are slurries of volcanic sediment, debris, and water that cascade down a volcano’s slopes through rivers and channels. In tropical areas, lahars are mainly generated by torrential rainfall on unconsolidated deposits from past eruptions,” PAGASA previously explained.

In 2006, severe rainfall brought by Super Typhoon Reming triggered massive lahar flows, flash floods, and landslides in areas surrounding Mayon, resulting in hundreds of casualties and hundreds of thousands of families severely affected. – Rappler.com