Through the ring of fire: Mayon's threat behind beauty

Mt. Mayon is the Philippines’ most active volcano. Known as the “perfect cone,” it is the main landmark of Albay and attracts a significant number of visitors every year. It is the picturesque tourist destination when not showing signs of danger. Being a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, Mayon Volcano recorded almost 50 eruptions for the past 400 years.

Legend says that Mayon is named after Daragang Magayon (Beautiful Lady), an ancient princess. The history of the country’s most famous volcano dates back 400 years ago when its eruption was first recorded. Let's take a look back at the timeline of the country's most famous volcano:

1616

Dutch explorer Joris van Spilbergen was circumnavigating when he witnessed Mayon’s eruption and wrote it on his log. This was the first-ever recorded eruption of the volcano.

1814

More than 1,200 were killed during Mayon’s most lethal eruption in February 1, 1814. Camalig, Cagsawa, Budiao and Guinobatan were affected following the eruption. Only the church tower remained standing when the whole town of Cagsawa was buried in 30 feet of ash. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, or Phivolcs, and the Province of Albay recently commemorated the 200th anniversary of the 1814 Mayon volcano eruption.

1897

The longest uninterrupted eruption of Mayon volcano lasted for seven days starting on June 23, 1897. The week-long rain of fire killed more than 400 people.

1968

About 100 eruptions occurred between April 21 and May 15, 1968. An explosion on April 27 broke the southwest crater rim allowing lava to flow down slowly. Six people were killed.

1978

Eruptions lasted from May 7 to May 22, 1978. More than 8,000 people were evacuated as lava flowed down through the 1968 summit crater breach.

1984

State volcanologists recommended the evacuation of 73,000 people in the danger zone during the September 1984 eruptions.

1993

The 1993 eruption was unexpected. The initial eruption lasted for 30 minutes, killing 68 people, mainly farmers. About 68,000 people were evacuated.

2006

More 48,000 people were evacuated during Mayon’s eruption in August 2006, while 1,266 people were killed in December 2006 in the lahar and landslides caused by typhoon "Durian."

2009

Phivolcs maintained alert level 1 in July 2009 as it observed inflation in the volcano. Alert was raised to level 4 in December 20 as 222 volcanic earthquakes were recorded the past 24 hours. Residents within the 7-kilometer Extended Danger Zone were evacuated.

2014

Alert was raised to level 3 due to "noticeable escalation of unrest” on September 15. A total of 32 volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours. Phivolcs said that eruption is possible within weeks.