Philippines Volcano Activity

Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano in a continuing mild eruption as viewed from Legazpi, Philippines, at dusk on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009. Volcanologists warned that the weeklong moderate eruption of the 8,070-foot (2,460-meter) Mayon could escalate within days as the volcano belched out 20 grayish ash columns Thursday, some a mile (1.5 kilometers) high.

Mayon volcano spews ash in a continuing mild eruption as viewed from Legazpi city, Philippines, at dawn on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009. Tens of thousands of evacuees are expected to spend Christmas in different evacuation centers after the country's most active volcano began spewing ash last week and coupled with continuing lava flow.

Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano in a continuing mild eruption as viewed from "Sleeping Lion Hill" in Legazpi city, Philippines, at dawn on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009. Tens of thousands of evacuees are expected to spend Christmas in different evacuation centers after the country's most active volcano began spewing ash last week and coupled with continuing lava flow.

Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano in a continuing mild eruption as viewed from Legazpi, Philippines, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. Tens of thousands of evacuees are expected to spend Christmas in different evacuation centers after the country's most active volcano began spewing ash last week coupled with continuing lava flow.

Mayon volcano evacuees are entertained by soldiers wearing Santa hats at an evacuation center in Legazpi city in Albay province, 500 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009.

Mayon volcano spews ash anew in a mild eruption as viewed from Legazpi city in Albay province, 500 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines, Tuesday Dec. 22, 2009. Almost all of the 47,000 residents living on the slopes of a rumbling volcano in the central Philippines have moved to emergency shelters, and lava and earthquakes Tuesday heralded what officials say could be a major eruption.

Residents living within the 8-kilometer danger zone of Mayon volcano, background, are evacuated to safer grounds in Guinobatan township, Albay province, about 500 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines, Monday, Dec. 21, 2009.

Mayon volcano spews ash on Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, in Legazpi city, Philippines. Security forces in army trucks Friday sent about 3,000 residents outside the danger zone surrounding the smoldering Mayon volcano, which looked set for a major eruption after days of shooting ash plumes and spilling lava.

Mayon volcano in Legazpi city, Albay province, continues to spew ash for the fourth straight day Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009, as viewed from a passenger plane about 500 kilometers (300 miles) south of Manila, Philippines.

Residents living around the slopes of Mayon volcano in Legazpi, Philippines, evacuate on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, after the five-level alert was raised to three following the increased activity of the country's most active volcano.

Residents living around the slopes of Mayon volcano in Legazpi, Philippines, evacuate on Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009. Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the Philippines' most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash.

Residents living around the slopes of the Mayon volcano in in Legazpi, Philippines, evacuate on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, after the five-level alert was raised to three following the increased activity of the country's most active volcano.

Residents living around the slopes of the Mayon volcano evacuate on Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009, after the five-level alert was raised to three following the increased activity of the country's most active volcano in Legazpi, Philippines. In December 2006, ash deposits from a previous eruption rolled down its slopes at the onslaught of a typhoon, killing more than 1,000 residents living around the cone-shaped volcano.

The Mayon volcano in Legazpi city, Philippines, spews ash Monday Dec. 14, 2009. Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the country's most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash.

The Mayon volcano in Legazpi city, Phillipines, continues to spew ash on Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009. Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the Philippines' most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash.

Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano in Legazpi city, Philippines, at dawn on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. State volcanologists raised the alert level on the cone-shaped, 8,070-foot Mayon volcano overnight to two steps below a major eruption after ash explosions and dark orange lava fragments, glowing in the dark, trickled down the mountain slope.

Lava cascades down the slopes of Mayon volcano in Legazpi city, Albay province, Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, about 310 miles south of Manila, Philippines. Authorities moved thousands of villagers from harm's way near the Philippines' most active volcano Tuesday after it oozed lava and shot plumes of ash, and said they probably would spend a bleak Christmas in an evacuation center.