Rock shower portends eruption of Mayon

Mayon Volcano lit up the night sky before dawn yesterday with a fiery rock shower that portends a possible eruption within weeks, government seismologists said.

Residents of surrounding villages have been warned to be prepared to move out on a moment’s notice, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a statement.

"Incandescent lava fragments were seen detaching from the summit dome at 10:04 p.m. (Tuesday) night and between 1:17 a.m. and 2:33 a.m. (yesterday)," the bulletin said.

"Parts of the dome were seen to glow at Intensity 2 as the detaching lava fragments exposed the hot lava dome interior," it added.

Volcanic quakes accompanied the fiery display. — Felix de los Santos