Tiny Volcano Erupts Near Manila, Causing Villagers to Flee
A tiny Philippine volcano that draws many tourists for its picturesque setting
in a lake, belched steam, ash and small rocks in a huge plume Sunday, prompting thousands
of residents to flee and airport officials to temporarily hold flights in Manila.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Jan. 12, 2020, at 6:46 a.m.
The Associated Press
Taal Volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Cavite province,
south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday. Jan. 12, 2020. (Jogs Danao/AP Photo) THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS
BY AARON FAVILA AND JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press
TAGAYTAY, Philippines (AP) — A tiny volcano near the Philippine capital that draws many
tourists for
its picturesque setting in a lake belched steam, ash and rocks in a huge plume Sunday,
prompting thousands
of residents to flee and officials to temporarily suspend flights.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Taal Volcano in Batangas
province south of Manila
blasted steam and ash up to 1 kilometer (about half a mile) into the sky in a dramatic escalation
of its growing
restiveness, which began last year.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage but authorities scrambled to evacuate more
than 6,000 villagers
from an island in the middle of a lake, where the volcano lies, officials said.
“We have asked people in high-risk areas, including the volcano island, to evacuate now ahead
of a possible
hazardous eruption,
” Renato Solidum, who heads the institute, said by phone.
Renelyn Bautista, a 38-year-old housewife from Batangas province’s Laurel town, said she immediately
fled from her home with
her two children, including a 4-month-old baby, after Taal erupted and the ground shook mildly twice.
“We hurriedly evacuated when the air turned muddy because of the ashfall and it started to smell like
gunpowder,” Bautista said.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were put on hold for at least four hours Sunday night
at Manila’s international airport
“due to volcanic ash in the vicinity of the airport” and nearby air routes, the Civil Aviation Authority
of the
Philippines said.
Taal lies more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Manila.
The volcanology institute raised the danger level around Taal two notches on Sunday to level 3,
indicating “magmatic intrusion that is likely
driving the current activity.” Level 5, the highest, indicates an ongoing eruption.
The institute reminded the public that the small island where the volcano lies is a
“permanent danger zone,” although fishing villages have
existed there for years. It asked nearby coastal communities “to take precautionary measures
and be vigilant of possible lake water disturbances
related to the ongoing unrest.”
Villagers in several villages and towns around the lake were also asked by officials to
evacuate to safer areas.
Heavy to light ashfall was reported in towns and cities several kilometers (miles) from the volcano,
and officials advised residents to stay indoors and don masks. Motorists were hampered
by poor visibility,
which was worsened
by rainy weather.
Hotels, shopping malls and restaurants line an upland road along a ridge overlooking the
lake and the volcano in Tagaytay city, a key tourism area that could be affected by a major eruption.
Authorities recorded a swarm of earthquakes, some of them felt with rumbling sounds,
and a slight inflation
of portions of the volcano ahead of Sunday’s steam-driven explosion, officials said.
Officials suspended classes on Monday in Batangas, where power outages were reported,
and nearby Cavite
province to avoid health problems from the ashfall.
One of the world's smallest volcanoes, Taal is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines,
which lies along the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region that is
prone to earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions.
About 20 typhoons and storms each year also lash the Philippines, which lies between
the Pacific and the
South China Sea, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Gomez reported from Manila. Associated Press videojournalist Bogie Calupitan
contributed to this report.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
Recommended Videos
Tiny Volcano Erupts Near Manila, Causing Villagers to Flee
A tiny Philippine volcano that draws many tourists for its picturesque setting
in a lake, belched steam, ash and small rocks in a huge plume Sunday, prompting thousands
of residents to flee and airport officials to temporarily hold flights in Manila.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Jan. 12, 2020, at 6:46 a.m.
The Associated Press
Taal Volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Cavite province,
south of Manila, Philippines on Sunday. Jan. 12, 2020. (Jogs Danao/AP Photo) THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS
PRESS
BY AARON FAVILA AND JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press
TAGAYTAY, Philippines (AP) — A tiny volcano near the Philippine capital that draws many
tourists for
tourists for
its picturesque setting in a lake belched steam, ash and rocks in a huge plume Sunday,
prompting thousands
prompting thousands
of residents to flee and officials to temporarily suspend flights.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Taal Volcano in Batangas
province south of Manila
province south of Manila
blasted steam and ash up to 1 kilometer (about half a mile) into the sky in a dramatic escalation
of its growing
of its growing
restiveness, which began last year.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage but authorities scrambled to evacuate more
than 6,000 villagers
from an island in the middle of a lake, where the volcano lies, officials said.
“We have asked people in high-risk areas, including the volcano island, to evacuate now ahead
of a possible
of a possible
hazardous eruption,
” Renato Solidum, who heads the institute, said by phone.
Renelyn Bautista, a 38-year-old housewife from Batangas province’s Laurel town, said she immediately
fled from her home with
her two children, including a 4-month-old baby, after Taal erupted and the ground shook mildly twice.
“We hurriedly evacuated when the air turned muddy because of the ashfall and it started to smell like
gunpowder,” Bautista said.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were put on hold for at least four hours Sunday night
at Manila’s international airport
“due to volcanic ash in the vicinity of the airport” and nearby air routes, the Civil Aviation Authority
of the
of the
Philippines said.
Taal lies more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Manila.
The volcanology institute raised the danger level around Taal two notches on Sunday to level 3,
indicating “magmatic intrusion that is likely
driving the current activity.” Level 5, the highest, indicates an ongoing eruption.
The institute reminded the public that the small island where the volcano lies is a
“permanent danger zone,” although fishing villages have
existed there for years. It asked nearby coastal communities “to take precautionary measures
and be vigilant of possible lake water disturbances
related to the ongoing unrest.”
Villagers in several villages and towns around the lake were also asked by officials to
evacuate to safer areas.
evacuate to safer areas.
Heavy to light ashfall was reported in towns and cities several kilometers (miles) from the volcano,
and officials advised residents to stay indoors and don masks. Motorists were hampered
by poor visibility,
by poor visibility,
which was worsened
by rainy weather.
Hotels, shopping malls and restaurants line an upland road along a ridge overlooking the
lake and the volcano in Tagaytay city, a key tourism area that could be affected by a major eruption.
Authorities recorded a swarm of earthquakes, some of them felt with rumbling sounds,
and a slight inflation
and a slight inflation
of portions of the volcano ahead of Sunday’s steam-driven explosion, officials said.
Officials suspended classes on Monday in Batangas, where power outages were reported,
and nearby Cavite
and nearby Cavite
province to avoid health problems from the ashfall.
One of the world's smallest volcanoes, Taal is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines,
which lies along the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region that is
prone to earthquakes and
prone to earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions.
About 20 typhoons and storms each year also lash the Philippines, which lies between
the Pacific and the
the Pacific and the
South China Sea, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Gomez reported from Manila. Associated Press videojournalist Bogie Calupitan
contributed to this report.
contributed to this report.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast,
broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
Recommended Videos
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