Manila (VNA) – The Philippineson January 14 raised the alert for the Mayon Volcano in the central province ofAlbay from level one “abnormal” to level two “increasing unrest” after authoritiessaid it shows signs of rising magma that could led to hazardous eruptions.

Residents were evacuated from two villages near the volcano, a touristattraction in Albay province thanks to its near-perfect cone shape, following a"phreatic or steam-driven eruption".

January 13’s eruption unleashed ash, rocks and sulfuric odor, and was followedby rumbling sounds and a faint glow in the crater, the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs raised the alert to level two,which means that the current activity is "probably of magmatic origin,which could lead to more phreatic eruptions or eventually to hazardous magmaticeruptions."

The public is strongly advised to bevigilant and desist from entering the six kilometre (3.7 mile) radius PermanentDanger Zone to minimize risks from sudden explosions, rockfalls and landslides,the institute said.

Located about 300 km southeast of Manila, Mayon is oneof the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. Its most destructive eruptionwas in February 1814, when lava flows buried three towns and killed 1,200people.-VNA