A simmering volcano erupted in the central Philippines today after thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate their homes.
The Mayon volcano threw fountains of lava and car-sized rocks into the air and shook the ground more than eight miles away. At least 7,000 villagers living within five miles have now fled their homes and another 3,000 have been ordered out.
One massive explosion from the volcano spewed ash more than nine miles high, with continuous columns of 600 yards and more.
Visibility is expected to drop to zero by evening in five nearby communities as an enormous mushroom cloud settled. Some villagers are lingering to watch the spectacle.
Depending on lava flow, as many as 60,000 could be forced to evacuate to nearby Legazpi. An elderly woman died of a heart attack during the evacuation but no other injuries were reported.
Mr Eduardo Laguerta, resident vulcanologist, said a lava dome about 27 to 30 yards wide had formed on the crater.
Collapsed domes have continuously been expelling rocks, ash and gases of 300-600 degrees Celsius down the volcano's slopes at speeds of 30-60 mph, he said.
After the 8,118ft volcano shook the region late last night with a series of explosions and began spewing lava, warning signs of a major eruption, authorities raised the alert from four to the highest level of five, which means an eruption is in progress with fast-moving lava flows.
PA