Taal Volcano erupts south of Manila

Taal Volcano in Batangas Province, more than 60 kilometers south of Manila, erupted on Thursday evening, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The institute said a minor phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at 6:06 p.m. local time and lasted about five minutes.

The eruption produced a dark gray plume that rose up to 4,000 meters above the crater. Ashfall is expected to affect nearby areas to the southwest. Alert Level 1 remains in effect for Taal Volcano on a five-level scale.

Taal is one of the Philippines' most active volcanoes. A major eruption in January 2020 displaced nearly 380,000 people and damaged homes, farms and roads across the province.

According to CCTV+, the Philippines lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” making the country highly prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.