Some residents in Albay were forced to evacuate out of fear due to the heavy ashfall that came from the continued ash emissions of Mayon Volcano that have blanketed roads and houses.

Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) head Bobby Cristobal revealed that various towns within the 3rd District of Albay were affected when heavy ash clouds from Mayon took over the skies on Saturday.

“Kagabi, since medyo makapal at mataas ang clouds ng ash, marami ring natakot na residente at lumikas. Dito reported yun sa bayan ng Camalig,” he said in a radio interview this Sunday.

(Last night, since the ash clouds were thick and high, there were many scared residents that fled. That was reported here in the town of Camalig)

Aside from those evacuees, Cristobal explained that all families within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) of the volcano were earlier evacuated given the alert status issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The Public Safety head mentioned that the ash clouds have since dissipated, however, their office has advised individuals to remain in evacuation centers as Mayon continues to exhibit heightened volcanic activity.

"Some are really wanting to go back to their houses, but we can’t allow it unless the alert level decreases," he stated.

During PHIVOLCS 24-hour observation of Mayon, it revealed that a total of 14 pyroclastic density currents (PDC), locally referred to as “uson,” had been observed.

These emissions resulted in the ashfall that was tracked towards the southwestern slopes of the volcano’s perimeter.

Aside from the ash, 32 volcanic earthquakes were also detected, including 25 volcanic tremors that lasted between two to five minutes long.

Mayon has remained in Alert Level 3 with the agency yet to recommend the need to raise its status to an Alert Level 4.