Local folklore refers to the volcano being named after the legendary princess-heroine Daragang Magayon (English: *Beautiful Lady*).
Mayon 1814 – The most destructive eruption of Mayon occurred on February 1, 1814 (VEI =4).[9] Lava flowed but less than the 1766 eruption. The volcano belched dark ash and eventually bombarded the town of Cagsawa with tephra that buried it. Trees burned, rivers were certainly damaged. Proximate areas were also devastated by the eruption, with ash accumulating to 9 m (30 ft) in depth. In Albay, 2,200 locals perished in what is considered to be the most lethal eruption in Mayon’s history;[6] though estimates by PHIVOLCS list the casualties at about 1,200. The eruption is believed to have contributed to the accumulation of atmospheric ash[*citation needed *] capped by the catastrophic 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora , that led to the Year Without a Summer in 1816.
Mayon 1881 – From July 6, 1881 until approximately August 1882,[9] Mayon underwent a strong (VEI=3) eruption. Samuel Kneeland , a naturalist , professor and geologist, personally observed the volcanic activity on Christmas Day, 1881, about five months after the start of the activity:
At the date of my visit, the volcano had poured out, for five months continuously, a stream of lava on the Legaspi side from the very summit. The viscid mass bubbled quietly but grandly, and overran the border of the crater, descending several hundred feet in a glowing wave, like red-hot iron. Gradually, fading as the upper surface cooled, it changed to a thousand sparkling rills among the crevices, and, as it passed beyond the line of complete vision behind the woods near the base, the fires twinkled like stars, or the scintillions of a dying conflagration. More than half of the mountain height was thus illuminated.
Mayon 1897 – Mayon’s longest uninterrupted eruption occurred on June 23, 1897 (VEI =4), which lasted for seven days of raining fire. Lava once again flowed down to civilization. Eleven kilometers (7 miles) eastward, the village of Bacacay was buried 15 m (49 ft) beneath the lava. In Sto.Domingo 100 people were killed by steam and falling debris or hot rocks. Other villages like San Roque, Misericordia and Santo Niño became deathtraps. Ash was carried in black clouds as far as 160 kilometres (99 mi) from the catastrophic event, which killed more than 400 people.[6]
*source: wikipedia*
photo credits to: Mhar Bobos thru RadyoMaN Grace Inocentes, fb San Isidro Elementary School, Vienmae, wikipedia
