Volcanologists say the worst might yet be to come
The Mayon volcano in the Philippines has erupted for the second time in weeks, sending thousands of villagers fleeing in panic.
Witnesses said the eruption was more violent than an earlier one on 24 June.
The Philippines army has been called in to help local residents escape the path of destruction, about 325km (200 miles) south of the capital Manila.
Scientists monitoring the volcano realised an eruption was imminent less than four hours before it happened.
Mayon exploded into life at 0756 local time (2256 BST Wednesday], spewing out a 60-metre (200 feet) high fountain of lava and a column of ash and smoke that rose 13km into the air.
Jo Malasarte, who lives in the village of Malabog at the foot of the mountain, told the Associated Press news agency: "There was an earthshaking and we heard roaring thunder, and after, we heard the frying sound of eggs when the pebbles fell on our roofs."
Philippine volcanologists raised the level of alert around Mayon to a maximum of five after downgrading it to level three when it stopped erupting on 4 July.
They called on authorities to evacuate residents within a 10km (six mile) zone around the mountain - an area containing about 18 villages.
Thousands of people streamed down the mountainside, clogging roads with vehicles. Schools were shut and the airport in nearby Legazpi, the provincial capital, was closed.
Officials say there were no reports of any injuries.
About 50,000 people were evacuated from the area when Mayon erupted in June, some 4,000 of whom have yet to return home.
The provincial disaster office said that up to 22,000 people might have to abandon their homes this time.
Experts say they do not know how long this
latest eruption will continue, but they predict
more explosions in the next few days.
-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001