Mayon emits ash as Albay declares calamity over dengue surge

LEGAZPI CITY --- Albay is facing a surge in dengue cases that has prompted the provincial government to declare a state of calamity, even as Mayon Volcano emitted ash Sunday morning and remained under Alert Level 2.

The Albay Provincial Health Office reported 1,785 dengue cases from January to September 8, 2026, including 14 deaths. Legazpi City recorded the highest number of cases at nearly 380 among the province’s 18 cities and municipalities.

Meanwhile, Mayon Volcano emitted ash shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday, generating a plume that rose about 600 meters above the summit crater before drifting southeast, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The ash emission was recorded by the Mayon Volcano Observatory-Ligñon Hill Station and Ligao Station IP cameras.

PHIVOLCS said Alert Level 2 remains in effect over Mayon and reiterated that entry into the volcano’s 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone should be avoided.

Mayon also recorded 24 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours, while a crater glow was visible to the naked eye, PHIVOLCS said in its Sunday bulletin.

On Saturday, the volcano released 841 tonnes of sulfur dioxide and generated moderate plumes that rose about 500 meters above the crater before drifting southeast and south-southeast.

PHIVOLCS also advised against flying aircraft close to the volcano, citing possible hazards including sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions, rockfalls, landslides or avalanches, and lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall.

The Albay provincial government, meanwhile, urged residents to keep their surroundings clean and eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds to help prevent the spread of dengue.