Truckloads of villagers on Tuesday fled Philippine communities close to the erupting Mayon volcano, traumatized by the sight of red-hot lava flowing down its crater and fearful of sporadic blasts of ash.
Nearly 15,000 people have left the mostly poor farming communities within a six-kilometre radius of Mayon’s crater in northeastern Albay province in forced evacuations since volcanic activity spiked last week. Albay’s governor extended the danger zone by a kilometre on Monday and asked thousands of residents to be ready to move anytime.
But many opted to flee from the expanded danger zone even before the mandatory evacuation order.
“There’s lava and
