Environment

Mayon: Philippines Volcano Eruption Forces Mass Evacuation

by Jordan Yerman | December 15, 2009 at 10:27 am

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Mayon, the Philippines' most active volcano erupted earlier today. More than 20,000 nearby residents were evacuated from Mayon's immediate area and sent to temporary housing. Mayon has erupted more than fifty times during the last few hundred years, most recently in 2006.

"It's already erupting," said Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The evacuation order came after state volcanologists raised the alert level on the 2,460-meter high volcano to two levels below eruption.

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Camera for hire (Aubrey Huggins) (not verified)

at 08:56 on December 27th, 2009

I spent a week in the Legaspi area in ealry 2005 where my wife was working with OWWA. I spent some time around Tabaco, Cagsawa Church Ruins , and Mount Mayon and was actually able to get part way up the majestic Volcano. Am looking forward to returning in 2010.