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Mayon
rises 2,462 m (8, 189 ft) above the Bicol Region of the Philippines and has a base circumference
of 62.8km (40mi).
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It is
located right in the center of the Albay Province, 460km south of Manila.
The Mayon is visible from nearly all cities and towns in the Albay
Province. It is also visible from neighboring provinces.
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Mayon
is a
stratovolcano known for its almost perfect
symmetrical triangle shape.
It
is commonly referred to as one of the natural wonders of the world.
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The
upper slopes of the Mayon are steep, reaching up to
40° in angle.
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The name
Mayon is derived from the Bicolano word
Magayon, which means
"beautiful."
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She is one of the most active volcanoes in
the Philippines.
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There are 49 eruptions since
the first documented activity in 1616.
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The
worst recorded eruption occurred on February 1, 1814. Some 1,200 people
from the nearby town of Cagsawa sought refuge inside the local church, but
had lost their lives, as the whole town including the church was
completely destroyed by the lava. Only the
church tower remained
standing.
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To this day, the
Cagsawa Ruins still stand upright as an eerie reminder of the power
behind Mayon's beauty. (Click
here for a historical picture of the Cagsawa church)
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The
Mayon has been restless since 1999, when it unexpectedly emitted a large
plume of ash startling the local residents. A series of eruptions followed
in 2000 and 2001. Prior to this, the last major eruption of the Mayon was
in 1993, causing the death of 70 people and evacuation of 50,000
residents.
