Mayon’s alert level rose from 2 to 3 after an October 30 eruption.
Why it matters: The higher alert signals an increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption and puts communities near the volcano at greater risk. Evacuation recommendations and aviation restrictions could affect residents and flights in Albay.
- Mayon produced a moderately explosive eruption at 11:53 a.m. local time on October 30, 2026.
- PHIVOLCS raised the alert from Level 2 to Level 3 and recommended evacuation within the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone.
- The eruption lasted about six minutes; the following 24-hour bulletin recorded 15 volcanic earthquakes and 30 rockfall events.
- Local authorities ordered mandatory evacuations in parts of Tabaco City, Camalig and Malilipot, according to GMA.
Mayon Volcano in Albay province produced a dense ash plume that rose approximately 3,000 meters above the summit crater and drifted west-southwest, according to PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
PHIVOLCS described the event as “a new phase of magmatic eruption” and raised the alert level from 2 to 3. The agency recommended evacuation within the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone and warned of possible pyroclastic density currents, lava flows, rockfalls and other volcanic hazards.
In its October 31, 2026, bulletin covering the preceding 24 hours, PHIVOLCS said the October 30 eruption lasted about six minutes. The bulletin recorded 15 volcanic earthquakes, 30 rockfall events and sulfur-dioxide emissions of 988 tonnes per day. The bulletin said Level 3 remained in place.
Local authorities ordered mandatory evacuations in parts of Tabaco City, Camalig and Malilipot, GMA reported. The same report said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines issued a no-fly notice for airspace near Mayon from the surface to 19,000 feet. The materials provided do not specify the notice’s expiration time.
GMA reported no immediate casualties or damage. Mayon’s current eruptive episode began on January 6, 2026, with lava-dome effusion and collapse, pyroclastic density currents and later lava flows, according to PHIVOLCS’s eruption history.
By the numbers
- 3,000 meters - approximate height of the ash plume above Mayon’s summit crater
- 6 minutes - reported duration of the October 30 eruption
- 988 tonnes per day - sulfur-dioxide emissions recorded in the 24-hour bulletin ending October 31
Yes, but: The provided materials do not include direct URLs to the evacuation orders, the ashfall forecast or the CAAP notice itself. The no-fly restriction’s expiration time is also not specified.
What's next: As of the October 31 bulletin, Alert Level 3 remained in place and the reported evacuation orders covered parts of Tabaco City, Camalig and Malilipot.