The Philippines has raised the alert level for Mayon volcano in Albay province to level three, signaling potential explosive activity and urging residents to stay outside the 6-kilometre danger zone.
Phivolcs, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, stated that magma is rising inside Mayon, forming a lava dome at its summit, which increases the risk of sudden eruptions and lava flows.
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Authorities have urged all residents within the no-go zone to evacuate immediately, warning of hazards including falling rocks, lava flows, and toxic gas emissions that could threaten lives and property.
Mayon, the most active of 22 Philippine volcanoes, has erupted over 50 times in the past four centuries, with its last magmatic eruption occurring in June 2023, releasing lava and harmful gases.
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Historically, the volcano’s most destructive eruption in February 1841 buried an entire town under lava, killing approximately 1,200 people, demonstrating the serious threat posed by sudden volcanic activity.
Phivolcs also advised civil aviation authorities to warn pilots to avoid flying near the summit, as volcanic ash from an eruption could severely endanger aircraft operations in the region.
Since January 1, 2026, monitoring recorded 346 rockfalls and four volcanic earthquakes, a decrease from 599 rockfalls in November–December 2025, indicating ongoing volcanic instability that requires close observation.