CAAP tells pilots to avoid going near Mayon Volcano due to phreatic eruption

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Sunday evening issued a notice to pilots instructing them to avoid going near Mayon Volcano due to the phreatic eruption that occurred earlier in the day.

In a statement, CAAP said in its notice to airmen (NOTAM) that "flights have been prohibited to operate to operate 10,000 feet from the surface and advised to avoid flying close to the volcano's summit as ash from the sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft."

Phivolcs reported a phreatic or steam-driven eruption at the volcano at 4:37 p.m. on Sunday, with rockfall, pyroclastic density currents, and a 1,200 meter-tall plume from the summit. 

"It lasted four minutes and 9 seconds based on the seismic record," the monitoring agency said. 

Mayon Volcano remains at Alert Level 2. — BM, GMA Integrated News