Mount Mayon about to erupt

Manila: Government troops enforcing restrictions around Mount Mayon were given orders to intensify security around the eight kilometre danger zone strung around the volcano's perimeter as scientists continue to monitor increasing volcanic activity.

Captain Razaleigh Bansawan, army spokesman, said government soldiers manning the nine checkpoints along the risk areas of Mayon were under orders to enforce an evening curfew and conduct checkpoints. Task Force Mayon is the army-led security unit charged with the safe and orderly evacuation of residents.

This development came on the heels of persistent reports that some of the residents are continuing to violate the government restriction on venturing into the 6-8 kilometre permanent danger zone or "no man's land" around the volcano and are occasionally returning to their farms to tend to their crops and livestock.

Bansawan was quoted in reports as saying that the army's 901st Infantry Brigade has deployed more soldiers to enforce the restrictions and have sent medical teams to the affected areas.

Soldiers and medical teams have been sent to the villages of Bonga, Mabinit, Matanag and Bayuan in the provincial capital, Legazpi City, to evacuate the sick and disabled living in high-risk areas.

So far, there have been no known casualties resulting from the current volcanic activity.

As Mayon continued to simmer ahead of a major eruption, the government raised the alert level at the volcano to "4" on Sunday afternoon. Alert level 5 indicates actual full blown eruption in progress.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, in a bulletin, said "activity escalated during the past 24-hour observation period. Seismic activity dramatically increased in number and size". Rumbling sounds were growing louder, nearly 2,000 volcanic quakes were recorded and lava fountains shot debris as high as 200 metres.

The volcano, according to the institute, is discharging "very high" sulphur dioxide emissions of 6,000 tonnes per day.

"Intensified crater glow and rolling down of incandescent lava fragments from the crater was also persistent. Red-hot lava also continuously flowed down along the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi and Lidong gullies," the bulletin said.