Unstable Mayon Volcano in the Philippines explodes early Tuesday (6AM AEST), killing 3 foreign trekkers, BBC reports. Mayon Volcano is famous for its flawless cone that inspires foreigners to climb the beautiful yet unpredictable volcano.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology the eruption is called "small phreatic event" which lasted for approximately 73 seconds and produces ashes 500m through air. The said phreatic eruption raises no escalating danger as observed and that alert level stays at a status quo.

However, since there still is a detectable steam and the volcano has yet to stop spewing ashes, entry within 6-km or 4-mile radius to the volcano is prohibited.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) executive director, renato Solidum, said that "the spewing of ash was caused by a hydro-thermal explosion. The steam column that was produced was grayish, but mainly it is water. There is not much pressure on it. There is no new magma yet... The steam carried with it the old ash at the crater of the volcano. It is a normal process in (any) volcano."

The explosion which blew off large volcanic rocks and solid ashes trapped a group of mountaineers killing 3 foreigners and leaving seven other climber injured. National Disaster Risk reduction and Management Council chief Eduardo del Rosario confirmed the number of casualties.

A local news portal, ABS-CBN, reported that volcano tour guide Kenneth Jesalva made statements recalling the event. He said the four people died from being crushed by big volcanic rocks caused by the explosion that happened in what the mountaineers called Mayon Camp 2. Jessalva also verify that three out of 4 victims were a tour guide like him.

Jessalva who also suffers injury recalls that his group heard a loud explosion just as they have decided to take rest for a while. From where they were resting, they saw large rocks rolling fast to their direction. Before they can even escape the rocks, some of the trekkers were already hit by them. He said that they tried running for a safe place, thinking that larger rocks will protect them from the rolling rocks but to no avail.

The bodies of the crushed victims were still being recovered and hopefully will be brought down to the base camp.

Del Rosario further reports that there a total of 20 hikers who climb the volcano Tuesday but some of them decided to keep silent in fear that the local government will stop them from leading a tour in the volcano hence leaving them nothing for their source of living.

Officials have already suspended all activities within the 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone of the volcano including Legazpi, Santo Domingo, Malilipot, Bacacay, tabaco City, Ligao, Guinobatan, Camalig and Daraga. With the fateful incident happening, officials make it a point that all groups to set trekking in the volcano should acquire necessary permit from the local Department of tourism.

Mayon Volcano has reportedly exploded 48 times. As remembered, the most aggressive explosion happens as far back as 1814 when the volcano killed over 1200 people and left local towns in total wreck. In the year of 2009, a large number of local residents were compelled to leave their hometown after Mayon Volcano became active again.