At 8:30 am on 7th May 2013 the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council issued an Advisory regarding the Mayon Volcano having produced a small phreatic event that lasted for 73 seconds.
The clouds reached about 500 metres above the summit.
Although no magmatic eruption was expected, they did warn of small steam and gas ejections that could occur without warning.
Advice was given that no member of the public should enter the 6km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) due to the threat of steam eruptions, and the risk of rock falls.
It was one of these ejections that caused the fatalities.
Source: NDRRMC
There are many local residents that live within 1 km of the Danger Zone, who witnessed the visible emissions from the Volcano, but there were no evacuation requirements from this event.
Mount Mayon fatalities 7th May 2013
Jerome Berin (Filipino Tour Guide)
Joanne Edosa (German)
Roland Tietze (German)
Jurian Stelter (German)
Sara Frances Nicolay (Spanish)
The only warning was a loud rumbling when massive rocks began falling, sweeping away those that did not have cover.
At least seven others in the groups involved, survived the incident.
The Bicol Office of Civil Defense has stated that seven climbers went up through the Sto. Domingo route, and it was this group that suffered all the fatalities. This office also stated that another 20 climbers went up through the Manlilipot route. And that there were a total of 27 climbers on the slope of the volcano when the eruption happened . Some reports however are stating only 21 climbers at the time.
Albay officials are now discussing jail sentences for people climbing Mount Mayon in the future.
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