The world’s most perfectly-shaped mountain again erupted on Tuesday, seemingly welcoming hordes of local tourists during the ongoing Holy Week holidays in the Philippines.
Mayon Volcano’s crater glowed with lava and its slopes were streaked in red while an ash plume rose by an estimated 500 meters into the air on Tuesday night.
The world’s most symmetrical volcano had been continuously erupting since January 6, prompting authorities to ban entry into its six-kilometre permanent danger zone.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Mayon registered 195 volcanic earthquakes, including nine volcanic tremors and 222 rock falls within the last 24 hours.
Increased volcanic activities draw tourists from all over the country, even pre-nuptial photo-shoots with Mayon as an enchanting background.
In nearby Sorsogon province, Bulusan Volcano had been showing signs of life in the past week, spewing 50-meter plumes on its craters. While not in the league of Mayon as a tourist draw, hot springs that feed from Bulusan are themselves popular among residents and visitors in the area.
Taal Volcano in Batangas province meanwhile had been gently spewing ash from its main crater, delighting tourists on nearby Taal City ridge. Restaurant and hotel owners had been banking on the volcano’s added attraction to offset the negative effects of mega fuel price hikes this holiday season.
They however hope Taal won’t go beyond gentle plumages as it would have the opposite effect of a tourism draw.
In Negros Island, Kanlaon Volcano is not letting up on its own show, periodically blowing kilometre-high ash columns. Kanlaon however sits amid populated areas it blankets with acrid fumes whenever it erupts.
Phivolcs and local authorities impose a four-kilometer permanent danger zone around Kanlaon.
Located in the so-called Pacific Rim of Fire, the Philippines has 24 active volcanoes. Their volcanic eruptions are mostly gentle and have become tourism attractions.
From time to time, however, their eruptions are catastrophic, such as by the Pinatubo Volcano in June 1991 that killed as many as 800 victims.
Pinatubo had been calm since then, however, making its crater and the lake created by its last eruption, a tourism draw in itself. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
