The Philippines’ most active volcano, Mayon volcano, began to explode on Monday at noon (local time) spewing red-hot lava and a sending huge ash cloud plumes into the sky.
The eruption prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to upgrade the alert level which suggests a hazardous eruption is imminent.
The warning has been upgraded from alert level 3, which means a “hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days.”
What is the current status of Mount Mayon volcano?
Following “seismic unrest, lava fountaining and summit explosions” on Sunday night and a thunderous explosion on Monday which sent an ash column several kilometres in the air, the alert level of Mayon volcano has now been set at level four.
Paul Alanis of Phivolcs told GMA news an alert level 4 means a hazardous explosion may happen “in a matter of hours or days.”
The Phivolcs website states: “Phivolcs is raising the Alert Level of Mayon Volcano from Alert 3 (increased tendency to hazardous eruption) to Alert Level 4 (hazardous eruption imminent).”
A level 5 alert signifies a hazardous eruption is underway.
A danger zone has now been extended to 8km (5 miles) around the 2,462-metre volcano and thousands more residents had to flee their homes in the wake of the new alert level.
“We expect the explosions to continue,” chief Phivolcs volcanologist Renato Solidum told a news conference in Manila.
“There is a possibility of a dangerous eruption, the start of which we are already witnessing.
“We strongly advise all people, both residents and tourists, to avoid the danger zone, and airlines to avoid flying near the volcano summit.”
Tens of thousands of residents had to flee their homes after the volcano began spewing ash, lava and pyroclastic materials on January 13.
Residents in villages within the extended eight-kilometre radius from the crater have been forced to evacuate to different emergency centres in Albay.
Authorities have closed all schools and told residents to stay indoors as ash rained on communities around the volcano, including Legazpi City.
Albany Governor Al Francis Bichara told CNN Philippines zero visibility has been reported in parts of Guinobatan, Liagao and Camalig after the major ash eruption.
He said: “Everyone is advised to wear their face masks and to stay indoors.”
Bichara suspended classes in all public and private schools across the entire province of Albay.
On Sunday night, Phivolcs recorded a lava eruption and more lava collapses from the volcano.
A lava dome had been growing at the top of the volcano since it began erupting at the weekend and there was a danger it would become too steep that it would collapse.
The over-steepened lava dome is formed by lava oozing out and piling up to form the dome.