Mayon volcano: 13,000 people evacuated as Philippines volcano spews lava

More than 13,000 people in the Philippines have been forced to evacuate their homes after the country's most active volcano began spewing lava.

The Mayon volcano, located in the northeastern province of Albay, began spewing lava last week. However, residents within a 6km radius of the crater or within the "permanent danger zone" only received an evacuation order over the weekend after eruptions gradually intensified.

Authorities have warned that more people could be evacuated if the eruptions continue to increase in intensity. The high-risk zone around the volcano could be expanded, with those already in emergency shelters possibly moving again according to the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Teresito Bacocol.

Some residents who have not been evacuated as they do not live within the immediate danger-zone have also voluntarily left their homes during the eruptions.

The volcano, famous for its conical shape, is a tourist hotspot and is known to attract those wishing to see the volcanic eruptions. Tourists have already begun to camp out to watch the eruptions, with local officials designating safe viewing points.

Fears have been raised as the volcano has begun to erupt during the Philippines' temperamental monsoon season. The wet season in the country is classed as June to November.

Authorities are keeping tabs on the storm Typhoon Guchol, with the storm skirting the country at the moment. If heavy rain does fall on Mayon, the floodwaters could push lava further down the volcano at an increased speed.

Weather forecasts have predicted that the storm is set to skirt the island, but could still interfere with the volcanic eruptions.

The last major eruption of Mayon was in 2018, with more than 74,000 people affected by evacuations. In an eruption that lasted almost one month, the province was forced to declare a state of calamity.

An eruption of Mayon more than 100 years ago in 1814 killed 1,200 people and even covered an entire town located near the base of the volcano. However, with the danger-zone perimeter introduced, fewer casualties have been reported in eruptions since.