Philippines' most active volcano spews ash, remains at 'moderate level of unrest'

Pyroclastic materials cascade down the slopes of Mayon volcano. - Filepic/AP Photo/Bullit Marquez

MANILA (Bernama): The Philippines' most active volcano, Mount Mayon, spewed greyish white ash plumes that rose 500 to 600m above the crater Thursday (Dec 27) morning, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting a Philippine volcanologist.

Eduardo Laguerta, a resident volcanologist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Albay province of northern Philippines, told Xinhua that the phreatic eruptions or steam-driven explosions occurred at 8.17am and 8.28am local time, adding that no major eruption is expected.

Phivolcs said the volcano is at a "moderate level of unrest," prompting the authorities to warn residents to stay out of the volcano's 6km danger zone due to possible "sudden explosions."

The 2,460m cone-shaped volcano is located in Albay province, approximately 300km southeast of Manila on the island of Luzon.

In a bulletin issued on Thursday, Phivolcs warned that "sudden explosions, lava collapses, pyroclastic density currents and ash fall can occur and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes" of the volcano.

Before the steam-driven explosions, the institute said it has recorded one volcanic earthquake during the past 24 hours.

"Moderate emission of white steam-laden plumes that crept downslope before drifting southwest and west-southwest was observed. Fair crater glow from the summit could be observed at night," the bulletin read.

Mount Mayon last erupted in January this year that prompted the authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers.

The volcano is a popular tourist destination in the northern Philippines. It is famed for its near-perfect cone but has a long history of deadly eruptions. It has erupted 51 times during the last 400 years.

The Philippine archipelago straddles the Pacific Ring of Fire and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. - Bernama