PHILIPPINES: As lava trickles out of volcano, many fear full moon could foreshadow eruption

Scientists and villagers sheltering from a throbbing volcano in the central Philippines fear Wednesday's (August 9) full moon could finally spark a violent eruption. Volcanologists have warned that Mount Mayon, in the province of Albay, could explode at any time but the gravitational pull of a full moon could provide the final push. A full moon coincided with at least three of Mayon's near 50 explosions, including the two most recent in 2000 and 2001. Nearly 40,000 people have been evacuated from an 8-km (5 mile) danger zone on the southeast flank of the volcano, which has been quaking and spitting plumes of ash since July, a member of the provincial disaster council said. At night, when the red lava is more visible, dozens of curious onlookers come to the edge of the danger zone to see the rumbling volcano. "This is one of the great wonders of the world. I want to show my kids what Mayon volcano is," said tourist, Eve Talavera. But in evacuation centres, the volcano is far from a source of entertainment. "It is very difficult to live here. It is so uncomfortable. The roof is leaking," said evacuee Celeste Lamarzan. Volcano experts are on guard. "This decrease is only apparent, the volcano's abnormal behaviour is still intense. The possibility of a hazardous explosive eruption is still there," said Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Renato Solidum. But some people have yet to leave their livestock and vegetable plots despite an encroaching four-storey-high wall of scalding lava that has streamed more than 6 km (4 miles) from Mayon's crater. "Of course I am scared too. But if I allow fear to take over my carabao (water buffalo) will get hungry. Where will I put my carabao, in the evacuation centre?" said farmer Freddie Zarzuella. The 2,462-metre-high (8,077 feet) mountain is the most active volcano in the Philippines and during its most destructive eruption in 1841 buried a town and killed 1,200 people. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has said she is confident there will be no casualties if Mayon blows and soldiers are on guard around the no-go zone to keep people away from potential harm. The Philippines, which sits on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific Ocean, known as the "Ring of Fire", is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and flooding caused by tropical storms.

ITN Source | August 10, 2006

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