(CNN) The Philippines' most active volcano has begun erupting again, after thousands of people on the main island of Luzon were earlier forced to evacuate.

A photo of Mayon volcano published late Monday local time by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) showed lava flows pouring down its side and a large plume of fiery smoke above the summit.

Authorities on Sunday upgraded the alert level at the Mayon volcano in the southern part of Luzon to "level 3" after observing steam eruptions and a bright lava glow.

As many as 3,000 villagers fled their homes while the volcano spewed ash, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.

PHIVOLCS issued the alert indicating an "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption" after three steam-driven eruptions and dozens of rockfalls on Sunday afternoon.

A "bright crater glow" at the summit crater indicates "the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes," the agency said.

Mayon Volcano raising to Alert Level 3 pic.twitter.com/3RJMj8TZRR — PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) January 14, 2018

The agency recommended creating an 11 km (7 mile) danger zone around the volcano to mitigate against "rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse."

The tweet also advised pilots not to fly near the summit since ash could be hazardous to aircraft.

The last time Mayon erupted, the volcano exhibited similar activity beforehand, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum told CNN Philippines.

Over the weekend, authorities ordered the evacuation of areas at the foot of the volcano. More than 900 families from 16 neighborhoods in the vicinity of the volcano were moved to shelters in neighboring towns, CNN Philippines quoted the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Coordinating Council (NDRRMC) as reporting.

However, Solidum added that the activity so far may not lead to an explosive eruption.

"Sometimes this eruption activity need not really result (in) very explosive eruptions. Sometimes it would result (in) non-explosive eruptions where lava would ooze out of the crater, but not explode," Solidum said.

Active volcano

Situated on the island of Luzon, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Manila, Mayon is one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Since 1616, the imposing stratovolcano has erupted 47 times, with many of the explosions causing deadly mudflows and ash falls.

In 2014, thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate the same area after a "critical" alert was issued, while in 2013, five climbers died when they were hit by falling rocks thrown up by a particularly violent blast.

The volcano's most devastating eruption took place in 1814 when at least 1,200 people were killed.</s>The volcano, located in the Albay province of central Philippines, first spewed ash on Saturday afternoon - followed by a further five-minute eruption on Sunday morning. And another eruption could be imminent according to the Philippines' chief volcanologist Renato Solidum. He warned on Monday of a possible hazardous eruption at Mount Mayon "within weeks or even within days", as magma continued to pile up at the summit of the Southeast Asian country's most active volcano. And he said raising the alert to level 4, under which the danger zone would be expanded, depended on how Mayon behaved in the next few hours.

The alert level was upgraded to level three - which means the volcano is in a critical stage - as the Mayon Volcano exhibited "high unrest" with high levels of magma is at the crater. Level 5 indicates an eruption is in progress. Mr Solidum, the chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) also described Mayon's current activity as a non-explosive magmatic eruption, but he would not rule out a more dangerous volcanic explosion in coming days. He said: ”What we would like to see is if there would be enough pressure, gas pressure for the next magma that would go up.”

More than 9,000 people have been evacuated from villages near Mayon, a tourist attraction because of its near-perfect cone shape, following a "steam-driven eruption" on Saturday. The 2,462-metre (8,077-foot) high volcano is spewing ash and burning mud and rocks over the past two days, forcing more than 3,000 residents to evacuate from nearby villages. According to Phivolcs, a "bright crater glow" at the summit crater indicates "the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes”. Lava has flowed almost half a mile down a gully from the crater and on Monday morning, sending thousands of residents into evacuation shelters as authorities warned people off a four-mile radius around the volcano.

Claudio Yucot, head of the region's office of civil defence, said: "It is dangerous for families to stay in that radius and inhale ash. "Because of continuous rains in past weeks, debris deposited in the slopes of Mayon could lead to lahar flows. If rain does not stop it could be hazardous." A four-mile danger zone has been set up around the volcano to mitigate against "rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse” as authorities ordered the evacuation of areas at the foot of the volcano. Phivolcs also advised pilots not to fly near the summit, since ash could be hazardous to aircraft.

Manila's airport authorities said airline Cebu Pacific had cancelled flights to nearby Legazpi City for a second day on Monday, citing bad weather. Earthquakes have also hit the region, with ten trmors striking the 7,000 islands on Sunday after Mount Mayon's second eruption. The volcano, which sits around 330 kilometres southwest of Manila, has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years. Mayon's most destructive eruption was in February 1841, when lava buried a town and killed 1,200 people.</s>Officials from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the alert level to level 3 on Sunday afternoon, indicating the volcano is in a critical stage. And the Philippines' chief volcanologist Renato Solidum warned of a possible hazardous eruption at Mount Mayon "within weeks or even within days”. According to Phivolcs, a "bright crater glow" at the summit crater indicates "the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes”. Lava has flowed almost half a mile down a gully from the crater and on Monday morning, sending thousands of residents into evacuation shelters. Some 9,000 people have already been evacuated from a four-mile danger zone surrounding the mountain, but more could be ordered to flee if and when the volcano erupts again.

Where is the Philippines? Located in the continent of Asia, the Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world after Indonesia - with 17,000 separate islands . There are more than 7,100 individual islands counted within the Philippines’ borders, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited. The islands are clustered into the three major island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao - while a further 5,000 islands are yet to be named. The Philippines covers 115,124 square miles of land and 706 square miles of water, making it the 73rd largest nation in the world with a total area of 115,830 square miles.

The Philippines, which has a population of 103,775,002, became an independent state in 1946, after gaining its sovereignty from Spain. Manila is the capital city, with a population of 10,444,527, and is also seen as the political centre of Philippines - home to its Executive head of state. The Southeast Asian country's most active volcano, Mount Mayan is located in the province of Albay in Bicol Region, on the large island of Luzon. The active stratovolcano is the main landmark and highest point of Albay and sits around 330km southwest of Manila.

The 2,462-metre (8,077-foot) high volcano is a a tourist attraction because of its near-perfect cone shape. And the volcano is geographically shared between eight regions, which divide like slices of a pie when viewed from above. The municipalities are Legazpi City, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Malilipot and Santo Domingo. Like other volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean, Mayon is a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Sitting on the southeast side of Luzon, Mount Mayon is close to the Philippine Trench - the convergent boundary where the Philippine Sea Plate is driven under the Philippine Mobile Belt. The volcano has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years - with the first eruption recorded in February 1616 and documented by Dutch explorer Joris van Spilbergen. Mayon's most destructive eruption was in February 1841, when lava buried a town and killed 1,200 people.</s>(CNN) The Philippines' most active volcano has shown signs of imminent eruption, forcing thousands of people on the main island of Luzon to evacuate.

Authorities upgraded the alert level at the Mayon volcano in the southern part of Luzon to "level 3" Sunday after observing steam eruptions and a bright lava glow.

As many as 3,000 villagers fled their homes while the volcano spewed ash, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued the alert indicating an "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption" after three steam-driven eruptions and dozens of rockfalls on Sunday afternoon.

The volcano is "exhibiting relatively high unrest," the agency said in a tweet on Sunday, adding that "hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days."

A "bright crater glow" at the summit crater indicates "the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes," the agency said.

The agency recommended creating an 11 km (7 mile) danger zone around the volcano to mitigate against "rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse."

The tweet also advised pilots not to fly near the summit, since ash could be hazardous to aircraft.

The last time Mayon erupted the volcano exhibited similar activity beforehand, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum told CNN Philippines.

Over the weekend, authorities ordered the evacuation of areas at the foot of the volcano. More than 900 families from 16 neighborhoods in the vicinity of the volcano were moved to shelters in neighboring towns, CNN Philippines quoted the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Coordinating Council (NDRRMC) as reporting.

However, Solidum added that the activity so far may not lead to an explosive eruption.

"Sometimes this eruption activity need not really result (in) very explosive eruptions. Sometimes it would result (in) non-explosive eruptions where lava would ooze out of the crater, but not explode," Solidum said.

Situated on the island of Luzon, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Manila, Mayon is one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Since 1616, the imposing stratovolcano has erupted 47 times, with many of the explosions causing deadly mudflows and ash falls.

The volcano's most devastating eruption took place in 1814, killing at least 1,200 people.</s>A volcano in the Philippines is showing signs of life and residents are getting worried an eruption may happen at any time. Between 9,000 and 12,000 inhabitants are fleeing the area as the Mayon volcano continues to throw clouds of ash into the air.

The volcano, sitting on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, recently started spewing steam, ash, and bright red lava. As a precaution, the volcanic action forced authorities to issue a level 3 eruption warning.

On Sunday, scientists with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) sent out a warning to indicate the volcano’s potential for eruption. After observing three small explosions triggered by steam and numerous rockslides, scientists fear a “hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days.” In a statement, PHIVOLCS said a giant dome is growing on the mountainside, signifying lava is on the move.

“Lava has flowed out of the volcano’s crater already, but it’s just starting. It’s a non-explosive eruption,” said PHIVOLCS scientist Renato Solidum, per a report from Fox News. “We have to verify tomorrow if it will flow continuously.”

Should the volcano blow, experts predict superheated gas and other debris capable of vaporizing everything will rapidly move down the mountainside, essentially destroying anything in its path. Massive amounts of ash will likely inundate adjacent towns and villages.

Local authorities told residents the time to leave is now. According to a CNN report, 900 families from multiple neighborhoods near the volcano in the Philippines were ordered to move to shelters in nearby towns. The government is also advising aircraft to avoid the area as ash can severely damage engines while in flight.

About 200 miles southeast of Manila, Mayon is considered one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. In the last 400 years, the volcano in the Philippines has erupted 47 times. An explosion in 1814 killed nearly 1,200 people.

More recently, the Philippine volcano erupted in 2014, forcing the evacuation of 63,000 residents. Another, more powerful eruption occurred a year earlier, killing four tourists and a tour guide.

Scientists with PHIVOLCS are continuing to monitor the volcano and looking at computer models to get a better idea when Mayon will eventually erupt. In the meantime, Philippine authorities are not taking any chances as the volcano is known for its unpredictable, destructive, and tragic history.</s>The Philippines raised the alert level for the country's most active volcano twice in 24 hours Sunday, meaning that a hazardous eruption is possible within days.

A bright glow from Mayon volcano's summit crater indicated the start of lava flow, while steam and ash plumes were produced by three steam-driven eruptions, according to the country's volcanology institute.

Mayon's status was raised late Sunday to Level Three, meaning "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption".

"This means that Mayon is exhibiting relatively high unrest and that magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a statement.

More than 900 families have been evacuated and temporarily sheltered at nearby schools, a national disaster agency spokesperson told the Manila Bulletin.

A seven-kilometre (four-mile) extended danger zone has been recommended on the volcano's southern flank. The public is urged to be vigilant and avoid entering the area "due to the danger of rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse that may generate hazardous volcanic flows", Phivolcs said.

Civil aviation authorities were told to advise pilots against flying near the summit due to the danger of erupting ash, which can be hazardous to aircraft.

The 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) Mayon, located about 330 kilometres southeast of Manila, has a long history of deadly eruptions.

Four foreign tourists and their local guide were killed when Mayon erupted in May 2013.

In 1814 more than 1,200 people were killed when lava flows buried the town of Cagsawa.

An explosion in August 2006 did not cause direct deaths, but four months later a typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from Mayon's slopes that killed 1,000 people.

"For the past 24 hours, Mayon Volcano in Albay Province has noticeably increased its unrest," warned Phivolcs.</s>MANILA
• The Philippines has raised the alert level at its restive Mayon volcano for the second time in less than 24 hours, from "increasing unrest" to "increased tendency towards eruption" within weeks or even days.

"This means that Mayon is exhibiting relatively high unrest and that magma is at the crater and that hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in its latest advisory yesterday.

After three phreatic or steam-driven eruptions and 158 rockfall events between 4.21pm on Saturday local time and 7.25pm yesterday, Phivolcs said Mayon's summit crater "is now exhibiting bright crater glow that signifies the growth of a new lava dome and beginnings of lava flow towards the southern slopes".

Already, the authorities have ordered the evacuation of residents within the 6km radius permanent danger zone and a 7km extended danger zone on the southern flank due to the danger of rockfalls, landslides and sudden explosions or dome collapse that may generate hazardous volcanic flows.

More than 900 families were ordered to evacuate from villages near the volcano, a tourist attraction in Albay province because of its near-perfect cone shape. The volcano is more than 300km south-east of the Philippine capital of Manila.

Mayon's most destructive eruption was in February 1841, when lava flows buried a town and killed 1,200 people. It last erupted in 2014, spewing lava and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

"The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and desist from entering the 6km radius permanent danger zone to minimise risks from sudden explosions, rockfall and landslides," Phivolcs said.

It also advised people experiencing ashfall to cover their noses and mouths with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask. It added that aircraft must avoid flying close to the volcano's summit.

Those within the slope of the volcano but outside the 6km danger zone were told to take precautionary measures against possible roof collapses due to accumulated ash and rainwater.

Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum said the volcano appeared due for another eruption as it has been displaying abnormal behaviour since late last year.

Separately, thousands of residents of an island near a Papua New Guinea (PNG) volcano have been evacuated after escalating eruptions triggered fears of a possible landslide and tsunami, the authorities and reports said yesterday.

The previously dormant volcano, more than 500m high, on the northern island of Kadovar off PNG, erupted on Jan 5 with all 600 residents evacuated. But volcanic activity significantly escalated in recent days, culminating in a big blast last Friday, the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO) said.

"The rocks were glowing red... previous to this blast, it was observed that the fracture, which was apparent in the initial aerial photos, running from the summit dome down to the coast, had apparently widened," the RVO said.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill warned yesterday of a possible tsunami. "The terrain around the (Kadovar) volcano is very steep, so this increases the risk of a large landslide that could trigger a tsunami," he said, referring to the danger of landmass entering water at a high speed.

Mr O'Neill added that flights had been cancelled and all ships and boats not involved with the evacuation effort were to keep clear of the area.</s>According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the region has been hit by a series of small tremors on Sunday.

The first hit at 5.40am, followed by six others at 07.25am, 2.59pm, 3pm, 4.49pm, 8.01pm and 8.21pm, 9.42pm.

READ MORE: Mayon volcano alert level raised to THREE as ERUPTION spews ash cloud

The earthquakes were recorded at varying magnitudes - beginning at 2.9 and moving on to record at 2.4, 2.8, 2.5, 2.2, 3.4, 2.3 and 2.4.

The earthquakes come as the Mount Mayon volcano, located in the Albay province of central Philippines, erupted on Saturday afternoon - followed by a further five-minute eruption on Sunday morning.</s>Bookmark and refresh this page for the latest information on flight cancellations related to the possible eruption of the Mayon Volcano

Please refresh this page for updates.

MANILA, Philippines – Some flights between Manila and Legazpi City were canceled on Monday, January 15, after volcanic debris and fast-moving hot gases were spotted at the Mayon Volcano in Albay.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) announced that Cebu Pacific flights 5J 321 and 5J 322 were canceled, as areas around the Mayon Volcano remain on high alert for a possible major eruption.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights between Manila and Legazpi City, meanwhile, have become delayed by 30 minutes to an hour.

"Please be advised that so far all flights to and from Legazpi are green and go, despite ash emissions from Mayon Volcano. The only effect has been flight delays of Manila-Legazpi and Legazpi-Manila flights, ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour," PAL said in a statement.

The flag carrier also said that as of noon on Monday, all Manila-Naga, Clark-Legazpi, and Clark-Masbate flights are operational.

"We will issue periodic updates on the situation in case it will affect flight schedules to and from the Bicol Region and surrounding areas," PAL said.

The Mayon Volcano is under Alert Level 3, which means a "hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days." – Rappler.com</s>MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines' most active volcano rumbled back to life Sunday with lava rising to its crater in a gentle eruption that has prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned a "hazardous eruption" of Mount Mayon, located in Albay province in the northeastern Philippines, is possible within weeks or even days.

Renato Solidum, who heads the volcanology institute, said three steam-explosions at the volcano since Saturday have spewed ash into nearby villages and may have breached solidified lava at the crater and caused lava to start to flow out of the 2,460-meter (8,070-foot) volcano.

"Lava has flowed out of the volcano's crater already but it's just starting. It's a non-explosive eruption," Solidum told The Associated Press. "We have to verify tomorrow if it will flow continuously."

Disaster-response officials said nearly 1,000 families have been moved to emergency shelters, including some from a permanent danger zone around Mayon, since the volcano started spewing steam and ash on Saturday.

A popular tourist attraction because of its near-perfect cone, Mayon lies in coconut-producing Albay province, about 340 kilometres (210 miles) southeast of Manila.

The volcano has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently, endangering thousands of poor villagers who insist on living or farming in the danger zone.

Villagers living near the volcano, which last erupted four years ago, have erected huge white crosses at the entrance of their neighbourhoods, hoping they will protect them from harm.

On May 7, 2013, the volcano suddenly spewed ash, killing five climbers, including three Germans, who had ventured near the summit despite warnings of possible danger.
The Mayon volcano begins to erupt in the Philippines.