Mount Mayon, the Philippines’ most active volcano, erupted twice at the weekend as experts from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned another “potentially hazardous” explosion could occur within days.
Incredible images from the mountain in the Albay region of the Philippines, on the island of Luzon, showed as bright red lava gushed from the mountains crater while thick ash clouds descended down its slopes.
And one particular photograph of the ash clouds around the Mayon Volcano in Albay, Bicol, has sparked an online frenzy with locals comparing the stunning image to the lender myth of how the volcano was created.
The picture, taken by photojournalist Ciriaco Santiago III, shows the Philippines most active volcano with its perfect cone obscured by the thick grey clouds.
But some social media users said the cloud formation looks like two people embracing – reminding them of the tragic love story of Panganoron and Magayon and the legend of the Mayon volcano.
According to the myth, Daragang Magayon was a beautiful princess who attracted men from various different tribes – including one Iriga chieftain called Pagtuga.
Pagtuga courted Magayon and her father with excessive gifts but Magayon’s heart belonged to someone else – Panganoron, son of a tribe leader in the Tagalog region.
The two met when Panganoron saved Magayon from drowning in a river one rainy night and as time passed, the two fell in love.
Hearing of their romanced, Pagtuga captured Magayon’s father Makusog, threatening to kill him if she refused to be his bride.
When Panganoron learned of what was happening, he and his armies started a war with Pagtuga.
The Iriga chieftain was slain in the bloody battle and Magayon rushed to her lover’s side to celebrate when a stray arrow hit him in the back and killed him.
Beside herself with grief, Magayon took the knife from Panganoron’s side and shouted Panganoron’s name before killing herself.
Her father Makusog buried the lovers together and whole years passed before the Ibalon people noticed the grave rise, spewing red-hot boulders from its crater preceded by quakes as it formed into the Mayon mountain we see today.