A small volcano in a scenic lake near the Philippine capital blew a white plume of steam and ash 1.5 kilometers into the sky after exploding Saturday.
The incident is prompting authorities to raise the alert level and evacuate hundreds of residents from high-risk villages.
Magma came into contact with water in the main crater of Taal volcano in Batangas province, setting off the steam-driven blast that was followed by smaller emissions and accompanied by volcanic earthquakes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The institute raised the alarm at the 1,020-foot Taal, one of the world’s smallest volcanoes, to the third level in a five-step warning system, meaning “there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions.”
Alert level 5 means a life-threatening eruption that could destroy communities is underway.
Residents of five lakeside villages within a 7-kilometer danger zone from the crater in the Batangas towns of Agoncillo and Laurel were warned of possible hazards, including fast-moving gas and molten materials and “volcanic tsunami” in Taal lake, and began evacuating to safety.
A video showed a white column of steam and ash billowing from the low-slung volcano into the blue sky. A villager witnessing the explosion amid the scorching summer heat can be heard in the background saying, “The volcano is exploding again, one blast after another, due to the intense heat.”
Renato Solidum of the government’s volcanology institute said it remains to be seen if Taal would suddenly grow more restive or eventually settle down.
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