PDC News | August 7, 2006
Pacific Disaster Center

Philippines Braces for Mt. Mayon Eruption

A "hazardous eruption is imminent" for Mt. Mayon in the Philippines, according to the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). On Monday, August 7, Mt. Mayon endured six small explosions within 40 minutes. As reported by Reuters, the Chief of Eruption Prediction at PHIVOLCS stated that this "signifies that Mayon is almost ready to burst."

According to BBC, approximately 35,000 residents near the volcano have been ordered to evacuate. PHIVOLCS has raised the alert status for Mayon to "level four"--indicating that an eruption could happen within days.

Please refer to the links below for the latest information on this developing situation:

Date Latest Updates
Ongoing Alert status from the PHIVOLCS and the Southwest Volcanic Research Center.
Ongoing Disaster briefs from AlertNet.
Ongoing Daily reporting from the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance.
Ongoing Coverage from the BBC.
Historical Mt. Mayon background primer from the Virtual Information Center, PDC, and Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance.
 
Mayon1 Mayon2 Mayon3
Above Left and Center: Increasing volcanic activity around Mt. Mayon in the Philippines has prompted warnings of an "imminent eruption" by PHIVOLCS. Above Right: Approximately 35,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the volcano's vicinity. (Images: BBC).
Atlas
Above: Location of the Philippines' Mt. Mayon as depicted by PDC's Natural Hazards Atlas.