Dramatic moment Taal Volcano in the Philippines spews steam 15km into sky as 'hazardous eruption' imminent and flights cancelled

Tim Baker12 January 2020

This dramatic footage shows a massive plum of ash and steam pouring into the sky after a volcano spewed into the atmosphere in the Philippines.

Around 8,000 people were evacuated from the immediate area which is around 80km (50 miles) south of capital Manila, population two million, after Taal Volcano started blasting out debris and causing earthquakes.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) upped the alert status to level four, meaning that hazardous eruption was imminent.

Flights from Manila's main airport have suspended due to the eruption, a statement released on Twitter said.

The Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center has predicted that the cloud of ash from the volcano could head northwards towards Japan.

Philippines: Taal Volcano eruption - In pictures

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Level four means that an eruption could happen within days or even hours. Level five is reached when there is magmatic eruption.

There has also been two earthquakes of magnitudes 2.5 and 3.9, as well as a "continuous volcanic tremors" in the area.

A steam column rose 10-15km (6-9miles) out of the crater of Taal Volcano.

In an advisory, the Institute said it was strongly recommending total evacuation of the area around Taal volcano, which is on an island in the middle of Taal lake, and two nearby "high-risk" municipalities in Batangas province as it warned of "possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami".

The country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council told reporters that an evacuation of the area has begun, led by local government officials.

The volcano spewed ash that generated huge plume that later triggered ashfall in nearby communities, the Institute said.

About 8,000 residents were at risk and needed to be immediately evacuated, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, citing the Institute's data and recommendations.

The head of the Institute, Renato Solidum, advised communities around Taal lake to also take precautionary measures and be vigilant of possible lake water disturbances related to the volcanic activity.

Solidum said the entire island should be strictly off-limits to all residents.

The heavy ash fall also reached the province of Cavite, prompting the provincial government to suspend classes on Monday and urge residents to stay indoors.

The ash plume was visible from the nearby city of Tagaytay, a popular spot for viewing the volcano and where tourists flock during weekends.

"We were having lunch when we heard rumbling. We saw the volcano erupting. It rained and some small pebbles fell to the ground," Jon Patrick Yen, a restaurant customer in Tagaytay said.

"I did not expect to see such spectacle. We just went by to eat."

Additional reporting by Reuters.

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