Mar 26, 2022 - Science

Taal volcano forces evacuation in Philippines

Erin Doherty

Residents living near Taal volcano evacuate to a public school in Laurel, Batangas, on March 26, 2022 — Residents living near Taal volcano evacuate to a public school in Laurel, Batangas, on March 26. Photo: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

More than 1,000 residents were evacuated on Saturday after the Philippines' Taal volcano spewed a 1.5-kilometer plume, Reuters reports.

Driving the news: The Taal volcano, located approximately 45 miles south of central Manila, received a level 3 alert on a 5-level scale. That means "there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions," per Reuters.

"Magma in the shallow part of the crater interacted with water, causing an eruption called phreatomagmatic activity," Renato Solidum, the head of the volcanology agency, told DZMM radio station.
More than 1,000 residents living in communities near the volcano, including fisherman and fish cage workers, were evacuated.

The big picture: The Philippines' Taal volcano erupted earlier this year, triggering earthquakes and ashfall across the region.

Solidum said that ashfall from Saturday's eruption would likely be limited to communities within the volcano, per Reuters.

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Taal volcano forces evacuation in Philippines

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