THE government stepped up its disaster response and evacuation of thousands of residents in at least 20 villages in Albay, Bicol on Saturday, as superheated streams of gas, debris and rocks have begun cascading down the upper slope of Mayon Volcano, indicating activity below the surface that could precede a 'hazardous eruption' within days or weeks.

Complicating the ongoing government operations are the monsoon rains that could be unleashed by an approaching typhoon although the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said 'Chedeng' (international name: 'Guchol') was still far from the country's land mass.