A large volcano in the central Philippines erupted today (Dec. 9) at 3:03 p.m. local time, spouting a column of ash and gas up to 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) into the sky, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
Thermal and X-ray camera monitors recorded pyroclastic density currents — hot flows of ash and debris that hug the ground and can travel hundreds of feet per second — descending the slopes of Mount Kanlaon. Local government units have advised people to evacuate a 3.7 mile (6 kilometers) radius around the site, and the country's civil defence office has stated that the urgent evacuation of 87,000 people is already underway.
