Thousands more evacuated as Mayon volcano in Philippines continues to spew lava

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - Nearly 6,000 more in the Philippines have been relocated to evacuation centers over the past three days as the Mayon volcano continued to spew lava and sulfuric gas, an official said on Thursday.

Edcel Grex Lagman, the governor of the central Albay province, said that so far, 5,266 families or 19,079 people in the Bicol Region have been shifted to safe places, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.

"The province is prepared for a higher alert level for Mayon Volcano, in case the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) decides to impose it," the agency quoted Lagman as saying.

The displaced people have been sheltered in 22 evacuation centers across the Albay province.

While, authorities already launched a relief operation in the affected region and sent tents, food, and other essential items to people who have been displaced from their homes.

"The basic needs of the people particularly water, sanitation and hygiene in the evacuation centers will be given priority to ensure their health, especially the children and women," said the governor.

Mount Mayon, the most active volcano in the Philippines, began spewing lava on Sunday night.

Volcanologists in the Southeast Asian country raised Mayon to alert level three on a scale of five, signifying a "relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and a warning of the increased possibility of a hazardous eruption within weeks or even days."

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid