Imminent Natural Disaster in Phlippines

Thanks to my Penang kinfolk, Ali Akhbar, for writing in to alert me of a natural disaster about to happen next door. Ali buddy, kam siah.

One of our neighbour’s volcano, Mayon in central Philippines, began abnormal activity in February and then started emitting small lava flows on July 15.

Early yesterday, Mayon was rocked by six successive volcanic blasts, followed by a fountain of lava from its crater. By mid-morning, the peak was covered in a dark cloud of volcanic material rising several kilometres above the crater. Super-heated lava was flowing down its slopes, setting vegetation on fire.

The Philippine seismology institute has raised a five-step volcano alert over Mayon at the next-highest level of 4, meaning an eruption could occur within days. Mayon has been a bit of a fiery bitch, experiencing 47 eruptions in recorded history, the last before the current situation being a mild outpouring of lava in June 2001.

But it’s not just a little boiling pot, but more of a Pompeii. It buried the town of Cagsawa in the 19th Century, killing an estimated 1,000 people.

Volcanologists have said an explosive eruption by Mayon, one of the country's most active volcanoes, could threaten the lives of about 60,000 people.

Philippine Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz says the Government expects to move 34,276 people to 31state-run shelters during the day, with 80 military trucks doing the heavy lifting.