Manila, Dec 9 (IANS): The Philippine office of civil defence said Monday an "urgent" evacuation of around 87,000 people has been underway, due to the eruption of the Kanlaon Volcano.

The volcano in the central Philippines erupted on Monday afternoon, spewing a "voluminous plume that rapidly rose 3,000 metres above the vent," said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The institute raised the alert level to three on a scale of five, warning that a "magmatic eruption has begun that may progress to further explosive eruptions."

Residents living within a 6-km radius of the volcano's summit are advised to evacuate, the institute said, adding that the public "must be prepared for additional evacuation if activity warrants."

Black ash from the eruption blanketed villages around the volcano, television footage showed, Xinhua news agency reported.

Local media reported that authorities have been preparing for the worst-case scenario of raising the alert level to four if necessary, which would necessitate further evacuation of people.

Hours before the explosive eruption, state volcanologists recorded six volcanic earthquakes and a 16-minute-long ash emission.

The Kanlaon Volcano last erupted in June this year. The volcano, which straddles the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental on the island of Negros, is one of the country's most active volcanoes.