Austin, Texas (CaymanMama.com) — Only ten days before Christmas, thousands of Philippines residents are being forced to evacuate their homes as the country’s most active volcano began to ooze lava, sending huge plumes of ash into the air.

Local volcanologists immediately surveyed the situation and elevated the alert level on the cone-shaped, 8,070-foot Mayon volcano to two steps below a major eruption after ash explosions.

Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the activity could get worse in coming days.

“It’s already erupting,” Solidum told said.

According to the Associated Press, “More than 20,000 people were evacuated to safety by nightfall Tuesday, said Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay province, where Mayon is located about 210 miles (340 kilometers) southeast of Manila.”

Emergency action is already underway as army trucks were dispatched to villages to transport people to local schools and other temporary housing, provincial emergency management official Jukes Nunez said.

“It’s 10 days before Christmas. Most likely people will be in evacuation centers, and if Mayon’s activity won’t ease down we will not allow them to return to their homes,” Nunez said.

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