The Majestic Mayon Volcano in Albay

Mt. Mayon as seen from the Cagsawa ruins.
Mt. Mayon as seen from the Cagsawa ruins.

Mt. Mayon, an active volcano in the province of Albay, is about two hours drive from Calabanga. The municipalities of Daraga, Camalig, Santo Domingo, Guinobatan and Malilipot and the three cities of Ligao, Legazpi and Tabaco claim jurisdiction and share boundaries about the mountain. On a clear cloudless day, we can see Mayon’s top, just behind Mt. Isarog, from the highway in our town.

An bukid na Mayon, buhay na bulkan sa provincia kan Albay, puko mas duwang oras na biyahe sa awto guikan sa Calabanga. An mga municipio kan Daraga, Camalig, Santo Domingo, Guinobatan saka Malilipot, kaiba and tolong ciudad kan Ligao, Legazpi asin Tabaco minasakop asin nagbaranga sa jurisdikcion kan kadagaan kan bukid. Sa mga aldaw mayong panganuron, an itaas kan Mayon nahihiling sa likod kan bukid nin Isarog, digde sa kalabaan kan tinampo kan samuyang banwaan.

With its towering height of 8,077 feet (2,462 meters), the almost perfect-coned volcano is the main tourist attraction of the province and the regions’ natural wonder. But don’t be guiled with its beauty and charm, for it has erupted times too many since its first recorded activity in 1776. The most destructive was in 1814 when the town of Cagsawa was buried under its mudflows and only the church belfry was left standing. The town was later relocated into what is now the bustling trade center of Daraga.


(Mayon’s peak as seen from the Cagsawa ruins, 5:35 PM. It’s not cloud, but smoke coming out of the volcano.)

Sa langkaw na 8,077 piyes (2,462 metro), an mala-perfectong imbudong baliktad na vulcan an pinakacentro nin turismo kan provincia asin rona nin Bicol. Pero hare malumay sa kagayunan, ta ini nagtuga na nin dakul na beses an primero naisurat kan 1776. An pinamaperhuwisyo iyo kan taon 1814 kan an banwaan kan Cagsawa tinalbong sa irarom kan mapulot na laboy an kampanaryo sana an nawalat na nakatindog. An banwaan kan Cagsawa binalyo sa kinabubugtakan ngonian kan maasensong banwaan kan Daraga.

Its last spectacular eruption occurred from July to August 2006; it spewed thick fumes, ashes, and lava. Much of the lahar flows were deposited on its slopes without any destructive effect on the surrounding population considered in the immediate danger zone due to an active and quick evacuation response.

An pinakahuring magayunon na pagtuga nangyari bulan kan Hulyo sagkod Agosto 2006 nagsuka nin mahibog na aso, abo asin nagkakalayong laboy. Mas sa iniluwa kan bulkan nadeposito sa abaga kaini na mayo man nin maraot na efekto sa nakaistar na mga namamanwaan na kinonsidera yaon sa pinakapeligrosong zona huli sa alistong pag evakuar.


(The devastation in Guinobatan town, still fresh and evokes bitter memories.)

But on November 30, 2006 super typhoon Reming (international code named Durian) with a 250-kilometer per hour strength near its center struck the Bicol region at night hitting directly at central Albay and the neighboring provinces. The continuous rain brought by the typhoon poured heavily and flooded towns and the mountain that tons of ash deposits on Mayon’s slope eroded and flowed as thick muddy lahar.

Pero kan Noviembre 30, 2006 an makusog na bagyong Reming na may darang dos cientos cinco kilomterong doros por hora harani sa centro tinalagpo an Kabikolan sa banggi asin tinamaan derektamente an Albay asin an mga kataraid na provincia. An makusogon na uran na haros dai nagpondo dara kan bagyo nagcausa nin baha sa mga banwaan asin sa bukid kun kaya tonetoneladang abo sa Mayon an nagdarusdos asin nahulog paibaba sa mahibog na laboy.

It flowed abundantly into the low-lying villages, and uprooted coconut palm trees, dragged and covered houses, buildings, schools, bridges, roads, rail lines and obliterated rivers and streams. The morning after revealed the devastation, with over a thousand people estimated to have been buried and never found and thousands more left homeless.

Nagdarusdos an sobrang laboy pasiring sa ibaba kun saen yaon an mga barangay, nagabot an mga niyog, natagulnudan asin tinalbungan an mga harong, edificio, eskuwelahan, tulay, perokaril, salog saka mga sapa nin laboy asin baybay. Kan mag-aga nahiling an sobrang kaherak-herak na resulta, may labi sa sarongribong tawo an nawara confirmadong natalbungan an dai na nahiling asin rinibo pang residentes an nawaran nin harong.

Now, beautiful Mayon is rumbling again. It’s showing signs of volcanic activity since July and an alert was hoisted on the area already. The influx of tourists and observers start to trickle in for the coming magnificent sky show. In the past eruptions, blazing rocks and boulders had been spewed by the raging volcano, too.

Ngonian, an magayon na Mayon nag-aarburuto na naman. Nagpapahiling na naman nin mga sinyales poon pa kan Hulyo asin nagtao na nin patanid an gobyerno sa mga naka-istar. Nagpopoon naman na may mag-abot na nagkakaperang turista asin aficionados para magbantay asin magdalan kan kagayunan kan langit sa pagtuga kan Mayon. Sa mga naka-aging pagtuga, nagkakalayong gapo ang isinuka kan bulkan.

Our sister and a brother have relocated their families and call Legazpi their home.

See more skies around the world on this link: Skywatch Friday.

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29 thoughts on “The Majestic Mayon Volcano in Albay”

  1. I am glad to hear that your family members have relocated. We used to see Mt. Rainier in Washington state from our back porch. We seldom stopped to think of it as a volcano until its sister mountain to the south, Mt. St. Helen’s, erupted and spread destruction far and wide. After that, I looked at Rainier a little differently.

    I really enjoy your blog. I love how you have both languages, side by side. Thank you for sharing these photos and words.

  2. Glad you featured this. I have been wanting to see this. My bffs are from Bicol, one used to live in Daraga and the other one I believe is in Ligao.

    Happy weekend.

  3. beautiful photos and interesting info. i remember going to mt st helens after it was reopened and being amazed by the force of the volcano and the devestation. also by the plants and bugs already repopulating. the cycle goes on.

  4. What marvelous shots and such an interesting post! I really enjoyed it!

    And thanks for stopping by my blog, your comments are always appreciated!

    Have a great weekend1

    Sylvia

  5. Very interesting Japa. I’ve been to the top of Mount Etna on Sicily and looked right down into the glowing, red crater, but never witnessed an eruption. Mount Mayon is certainly beautiful and the current activity must be beautiful yet awe-inspiring to watch. It’s good to hear your family have safely relocated and I hope that when the eruption finally comes it will be without loss of life and homes.
    Janice.

  6. What a beautiful and dramatic land you are living in! Thank you for sharing so much interesting of its history.
    Very good pictures to illustrate – and the sky is always over all of us!!

  7. Very interesting! Volcanoes are beautiful, but very treacherous! I know that from Indonesia, where I had lived for 12 years, before retuning to my fatherland the Netherlands. I like your photos, but I hope you don’t mind me saying so: “why did you put the letters in the middle of them?” Anyway have a great weekend!

  8. Great photos of that volcano…although it can be destructive, it is beautiful to look at….all the information was interesting also…

  9. Hi!
    Thank you for your comment on my blog:)
    I’ve been to your country when I was in junior high.
    I went to Manira.
    and I was surprised Mango juice and Orange juice tasted really good.
    the taste was tottally different from Japan’s.
    it tasted soooooooooooooooo incredible.

  10. A really interesting, informative post. The earth that you live on is so much more alive than I can ever imagine – thanks for sharing.

  11. Oh my, we live next to an active volcano (Mt. Etna) too, but it doesn’t feel quite as threatening as this. Beautiful pictures, though. Glad your family is safe!

  12. Last August, it was my first time to see Mt. Mayon for real and it was really pretty. Its beauty can be deceiving though as it is one of our most active volcanoes in the Phils.

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