On January 6, the Philippines raised its warning level for Mayon volcano in Albay province, central Philippines, along with warnings about "the possibility of eruption activity" in the coming days or weeks and warned people not to enter dangerous areas within a radius of 6km.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanoes and Sismology, also known as Phivolcs, said that the warning level has been raised to level 3 in a 5-level scale. This means that magma is rising inside the volcano and forming a lava dome in the peak area.
Phivolcs calls on residents living in a 6km restricted area to urgently evacuate due to risks from lava flows, rockfalls and other risks related to volcanic activity.
The agency also requested civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying near Mayon Peak, as ash from a sudden eruption could endanger the plane.
Mayon is the most active volcano among the 22 volcanoes in the Philippines, with more than 50 eruptions in the past 4 centuries. The most recent magma eruption occurred in June 2023, when the volcano erupted lava and toxic gases. The most severely damaged eruption occurred in February 1841, when lava buried an entire town and killed 1,200 people.
According to Phivolcs, since January 1, 2026, there have been 346 rock rolls and 4 volcanic earthquakes in Mayon. This number is lower than the 599 rock rolls recorded in the period November-December 2025, but still shows signs of ongoing instability.
The Philippines is located on the "Fire Belt" of the Pacific Ocean, an area with many volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Authorities emphasized that compliance with safety recommendations is necessary to minimize risks for the community living around Mayon.
