Philippines' most active volcano: Mayon eruption may last months

DW News shows that nearly 15,000 people have left their homes since the Philippines' most active volcano began showing signs of restiveness. A six-kilometer danger zone was expanded by one kilometer once the Mayon volcano began spewing hot lava. Authorities warn volcanic activity may persist for months.

Mount Mayon is situated in the eastern province of Albay, some 330 kilometers south of the Filipino capital of Manila. The Mayon Volcano stands at a height of 2,462-metre (8,077-foot) and is a popular drawcard for visitors to the region due to its conical form. It is considered to be the Philippines most active volcano - last erupting in January 2018. There have also been no less than 50 eruptions in the last 500 years. The Philippines is part of the so-called "Ring of Fire" in the Pacific Ocean, where volcanic activity and earthquakes remain common. The most destructive eruption took place in 1814, when 1,200 people were killed and the town of Cagsawa was buried beneath volcanic mud. More recently, in 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, around 100 kilometers northwest of Manila, left more than 800 people dead.