Philippines raises alert level around volcano, villagers told to leave danger zone

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine officials have raised the alert level for one of the country’s most active volcanoes after superheated streams of gas, debris and rocks cascaded down its upper slope in a condition they said could lead to a hazardous eruption within days or weeks. Villagers living within a 3.7-mile radius of Mayon volcano’s crater were asked on Thursday to leave the long-designated permanent danger zone and move to safer grounds due to the danger of volcanic emissions, lava flows, rockfalls and other hazards. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology asked civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying close to Mayon, one of two dozen active volcanoes across the Philippines.