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Green Fireball Flashes Over Erupting Mayon as Agency Confirms It Burned Up

Seismic and infrasound analysis led PHIVOLCS to retract an initial caption and to warn the public about AI‑altered videos.

Overview

  • Video from PHIVOLCS’ Ligñon Hill camera and afarTV showed a bright green fireball near Mayon on Monday night, May 25, that ended in a very bright terminal flash as it broke apart in the atmosphere.
  • PHIVOLCS first posted that the meteor struck Mayon’s northern slopes but hours later reviewed seismic, infrasound and additional camera records and confirmed the object disintegrated before reaching the ground.
  • Scientists and livestream operators said the green color likely came from burning metals such as magnesium or nickel, and a small ascending light seen after the flash was identified as likely a satellite.
  • Mayon remains at Alert Level 3 with enforced exclusion zones and about 300 families relocated from nearby slopes as authorities continue to monitor effusive lava flows, dome collapse events and ash emissions.
  • PHIVOLCS issued a public reminder after AI‑generated and misleading posts spread online, stressing that combined camera, seismic and infrasound checks are used to tell atmospheric breakups from true impacts.