Scientists warn of more Mount Mayon eruptions

Scientists warn of more Mount Mayon eruptions

LEGASPI, Philippines (AFP): About 43,000 people fled the
Philippines' rumbling Mayon volcano on Friday amid signs that it
could explode for the second day running, officials said.

The evacuees were packed in some 28 schoolhouses converted
into camps, with officials pleading for donations as supplies
were expected to last only for a week.

Scientists said superheated lava, volcanic mud and rocks had
crept to about 3.5 kilometers from Mayon's summit since Thursday,
when it began erupting.

The flow was not, however, expected to breach a six-kilometer
radius danger zone around the 2,462-meter Mayon, the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

"Phivolcs expects more explosive activity in the following
days," it said and warned people against entering the danger
area.

The volcano erupted three times on Thursday, hurling sulfuric
ash and rocks some 13 kilometers into the air and triggering
deadly flows of molten debris.

Disaster officials were placed on alert following warnings
from weather forecasters of "moderate to heavy rains", that could
mix with debris to create deadly flows of volcanic mud.

Phivolcs volcanologist Ed Laguerta said "explosions ceased
since yesterday. What we are seeing right now is just the flowing
of the lava."

He said no agricultural communities were in danger of being
buried by lava, which he said would most likely flow into natural
gullies and channels on the slopes of Mayon, about 325 kilometers
southeast of Manila in Albay province.

Army trucks on Friday continued to ferry villagers fleeing
their homes.

Disaster officials said they would only accommodate evacuees
coming from areas directly threatened by Mayon as cramped
evacuation camps were slowly being filled to capacity.

President Gloria Arroyo said she was pleased with the pace of
relief work, and said there was no need for her to get directly
involved. Provincial officials "are doing their job very well.

"The less we meddle with them the better," Arroyo said.
Provincial disaster chief Cedric Daep said they were slowly
running out of funds.

Provincial spokesmen say supplies had been drained by relief
operations following Mayon's earlier eruptions last month.

Around 46,000 people were evacuated from around Mayon in late
June amid a similar period of volcanic activity.
Arturo Baria, 64, initially fled his farm in Tabaco town after
the first explosion before dawn on Thursday.

But ignoring warnings, he left his children at an evacuation
center to return to his farm with his wife to salvage the
family's crops and tend to their livestock.

"I am afraid to lose my livestock. I have a water buffalo and
a cow. I can't afford to leave them," he said as he harvested
tomatoes and stringbeans from the fertile volcanic soil around
Mayon.

In many cases, farmers take their families to evacuation
centers but return to their fields at daytime to continue their
work.
Emily Armis, 27, one of the farmers' wives left at the centers,
complained that the converted schoolhouses were too noisy and
congested, had too few toilets and not enough water.

Lorna Gaveria, 36, another farmer's wife, expressed
resignation at the repeated evacuations from the volcano, saying:
"I am sad because we are not enjoying the comforts of home but we
are also happy that the government is taking care of us and
giving us foodstuffs."

The cone-shaped mountain has exploded nearly 50 times since
1616, the last of which was on June 23.

It continued to emit smoke, ash and lava for two weeks but
ceased erupting on July 4, prompting authorities to send
residents home.