audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - The Mayon volcano, which rises 8,077 feet on the island of Luzon, is the Philippines most active volcano, according to USGS. The Philippines, which has about 22 active volcanoes, lies in the ''Ring of Fire,'' a line of seismic faults surrounding the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The Philippines raised the alert level at its most active volcano, Mount Mayon, after fresh activity. Mayon has been spewing lava and a cloud of ash since 13 January, forcing more than 56,000 residents to flee their homes in the central province of Albay and finding shelter in 46 evacuation camps. Authorities raised the alert level to four on a scale of five because a hazardous and violent eruption is expected within days. An 5 mile exclusion zone has been put in place around the volcano. More than 30,000 ash masks and about 5,000 sacks of rice, along with medicine, water and other supplies, were being sent to evacuation centers. Food packs, water, medicine and other relief goods remain adequate but may run out by mid-February if the eruption continues and new supplies fail to come on time, officials said. During eruptions pyroclastic flows, which are fast moving rivers of lava and molten rock race down Mayon's flanks from its summit, often devastating villages in its path. The most violent eruption, in 1814, left more than 1,200 people dead.
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January 22, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - Students at Muladbucad Grande Elementary School in Guinobatan wear face masks in their 1st grade class. Several communities in Guinobatan were hit ash falls from the eruptions of the Mayon volcano and many people wore face masks to protect themselves from the ash. There were a series of eruptions on the Mayon volcano near Legazpi Monday. The eruptions started Sunday night and continued through the day. At about midday the volcano sent a plume of ash and smoke towering over Camalig, the largest municipality near the volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) extended the six kilometer danger zone to eight kilometers and raised the alert level from three to four. This is the first time the alert level has been at four since 2009. A level four alert means a ''Hazardous Eruption is Imminent'' and there is ''intense unrest'' in the volcano. The Mayon volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Sunday and Monday's eruptions caused ash falls in several communities but there were no known injuries.
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January 22, 2018 - Camalig, Albay, Philippines - An eruption of the Mayon volcano Monday afternoon in Camalig. There were a series of eruptions on the Mayon volcano near Legazpi Monday. The eruptions started Sunday night and continued through the day. At about midday the volcano sent a plume of ash and smoke towering over Camalig, the largest municipality near the volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) extended the six kilometer danger zone to eight kilometers and raised the alert level from three to four. This is the first time the alert level has been at four since 2009. A level four alert means a ''Hazardous Eruption is Imminent'' and there is ''intense unrest'' in the volcano. The Mayon volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Sunday and Monday's eruptions caused ash falls in several communities but there were no known injuries.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 21, 2018 - Legazpi, Albay, Philippines - People at Our Lady of the Gate Parish (Parroquia Nuestra Senora de la Porteria) walk past a painting of the Mayon eruption in 1814. The Mayon volcano continued to release smoke and ash Sunday morning. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated from communities on the near the Mayon volcano in Albay province in the Philippines. Most of the evacuees are staying at schools in communities outside of the evacuation zone.
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January 25, 2018 - Daraga, Albay, Philippines - The Mayon volcano erupts Thursday night with the town of Daraga in the foreground. The Mayon volcano continued to erupt Thursday. More than 60,000 people have been evacuated because of the volcano.
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January 21, 2018 - Camalig, Albay, Philippines - People line up for relief supplies at the Barangay Cabangan evacuee shelter in a school in Camalig. There are about 650 people living at the shelter. They won't be allowed to move back to their homes until officials determine that Mayon volcano is safe and not likely to erupt, which could take at least two more weeks. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated from communities on the near the Mayon volcano in Albay province in the Philippines. Most of the evacuees are staying at schools in communities outside of the evacuation zone.
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January 22, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - A woman in Guinobatan wears a face mask while she walks home from shopping. Several communities in Guinobatan were hit ash falls from the eruptions of the Mayon volcano and many people wore face masks to protect themselves from the ash. There were a series of eruptions on the Mayon volcano near Legazpi Monday. The eruptions started Sunday night and continued through the day. At about midday the volcano sent a plume of ash and smoke towering over Camalig, the largest municipality near the volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) extended the six kilometer danger zone to eight kilometers and raised the alert level from three to four. This is the first time the alert level has been at four since 2009. A level four alert means a ''Hazardous Eruption is Imminent'' and there is ''intense unrest'' in the volcano. The Mayon volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Sunday and Monday's eruptions caused ash falls in several communities but there were no known injuries.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 29, 2018 - Santo Domingo, Albay, Philippines - A girl leaves an impromptu camp in Santo Domingo for people evacuated from their homes because of the Mayon volcano. Many of the shelters in Santo Domingo are filled beyond capacity and people are sleeping tents and huts along the roads. Mayon volcano's eruptions continued Monday. At last count, more 80,000 people have been evacuated from their homes of the slopes of the volcano and are crowded into shelters in communities outside of the danger zone.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 23, 2018 - Daraga, Albay, Philippines - Sand and gravel miners work in a riverbed of volcanic soil while the Mayon volcano erupts Tuesday. The Mayon volcano continued to erupt Tuesday, although it was not as active as it was Monday. There were ash falls in communities near the volcano. This is the most active the volcano has been since 2009. Schools in the vicinity of the volcano have been closed and people living in areas affected by ash falls are encouraged to stay indoors, wear a mask and not participate in strenuous activities.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 23, 2018 - Daraga, Albay, Philippines - Children play basketball on a recreation yard in Daraga while the Mayon volcano erupts Tuesday. The Mayon volcano continued to erupt Tuesday, although it was not as active as it was Monday. There were ash falls in communities near the volcano. This is the most active the volcano has been since 2009. Schools in the vicinity of the volcano have been closed and people living in areas affected by ash falls are encouraged to stay indoors, wear a mask and not participate in strenuous activities.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 25, 2018 - Daraga, Albay, Philippines - The Mayon volcano erupts Thursday night with the town of Daraga in the foreground. The Mayon volcano continued to erupt Thursday. More than 60,000 people have been evacuated because of the volcano.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 25, 2018 - Daraga, Albay, Philippines - MARIA MAICA DE LA CRUZ and her husband, ARLO GERALD DE LA CRUZ, on their wedding day with the Mayon volcano erupting in the background. They were married earlier in the afternoon at Our Lady of the Gate Parish. After their wedding they walked out to Red Labuyo restaurant and the volcano started its eruption. More than 60,000 people have been evacuated because of the volcano.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 22, 2018 - Legazpi, Albay, Philippines - Lava flows from the cone of the Mayon volcano Monday night, as seen from Legazpi, about 12 kilometers from the volcano. There were a series of eruptions on the Mayon volcano near Legazpi Monday. The eruptions started Sunday night and continued through the day. At about midday the volcano sent a plume of ash and smoke towering over Camalig, the largest municipality near the volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) extended the six kilometer danger zone to eight kilometers and raised the alert level from three to four. This is the first time the alert level has been at four since 2009. A level four alert means a ''Hazardous Eruption is Imminent'' and there is ''intense unrest'' in the volcano. The Mayon volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Sunday and Monday's eruptions caused ash falls in several communities but there were no known injuries.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 22, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - A girl at Muladbucad Grande Elementary School in Guinobatan wears a face mask while she plays on the swings. Several communities in Guinobatan were hit ash falls from the eruptions of the Mayon volcano and many people wore face masks to protect themselves from the ash. There were a series of eruptions on the Mayon volcano near Legazpi Monday. The eruptions started Sunday night and continued through the day. At about midday the volcano sent a plume of ash and smoke towering over Camalig, the largest municipality near the volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) extended the six kilometer danger zone to eight kilometers and raised the alert level from three to four. This is the first time the alert level has been at four since 2009. A level four alert means a ''Hazardous Eruption is Imminent'' and there is ''intense unrest'' in the volcano. The Mayon volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Sunday and Monday's eruptions caused ash falls in several communities but there were no known injuries.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 24, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - People affected by the eruption of the Mayon volcano line up for government provided financial assistance in Guinobatan. Many of the people were wearing breathing filters because a volcanic ash fall. The Mayon volcano continued to erupt Tuesday night and Wednesday forcing the Albay provincial government to order more evacuations. By Wednesday evening (Philippine time) more than 60,000 people had been evacuated from communities around the volcano to shelters outside of the 8 kilometer danger zone. Additionally, ash falls continued to disrupt life beyond the danger zones. Several airports in the region, including the airport in Legazpi, the busiest airport in the region, are closed indefinitely because of the amount of ash the volcano has thrown into the air.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 30, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - Volcanic ash on a plant in Guinobatan. Mayon volcano continued to erupt but not as dramatically as it did last week. The small eruptions are still sending ash clouds over communities west of the volcano and the government is encouraging people to stay indoors, wear face masks and avoid strenuous activities when ash is falling.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 26, 2018 - Santo Domingo, Albay, Philippines - A man evacuated from his home on the slopes of the Mayon volcano builds a temporary shelter in a field in Santo Domingo. The volcano was relatively quiet Friday, but the number of evacuees swelled to nearly 80,000 as people left the side of the volcano in search of safety. There are nearly 12,000 evacuees in Santo Domingo, one of the communities most impacted by the volcano. The number of evacuees is impacting the availability of shelter space. Many people in Santo Domingo, on the north side of the volcano, are sleeping in huts made from bamboo and plastic sheeting. The Philippines is now preparing to house the volcano evacuees for up to three months.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
January 30, 2018 - Guinobatan, Albay, Philippines - Farmworkers in Guinobatan work in a rice field during an ash fall from the Mayon volcano. The volcano continued to erupt but not as dramatically as it did last week. The small eruptions are still sending ash clouds over communities west of the volcano and the government is encouraging people to stay indoors, wear face masks and avoid strenuous activities when ash is falling.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
February 1, 2018 - Legazpi, Albay, Philippines - Passengers get off Philippine Express Airlines flight 2921, an Airbus A320, at the Legazpi airport with the Mayon volcano in the background. The Mayon volcano started erupting in the middle of January. The airspace around the volcano has been closed off and on for more than week. The airport is about 13 kilometers from the volcano and the ash clouds from Mayon pose a threat to aircraft engines. More than 80,000 people have been evacuated from their homes around the volcano.
© Jack Kurtz/zReportage.com/ZUMA Wire
