Manila is covered in volcanic ash 

| Read time: 4 minute(s)
If anyone doubted the environmental threats, it’s time to change their minds now. While the bushfires in Australia are still raging, another country is gearing to fight another natural calamity. A volcano ready to erupt A volcano near the Philippine capital Manila has been spewing lava into the sky and trembling constantly. The earthquakes are almost constant near the area. As ecologists fear more dangerous volcanic eruptions, millions of people have fled their homes. Though small in size, Taal volcano in the Philippines may erupt anytime as the ash has spread over a vast amount of land. The activity More than 350 volcanic earthquakes have been recorded near Taal since Sunday when it first blasted a 15-kilometer column of ash, steam and rock into the sky. The volcano was spurting fountains of red-hot lava into the sky, and the massive column of ash and volcanic debris at times lit up with streaks of lightning. The alert level since the eruption began Sunday has been 4, indicating a hazardous eruption is possible in hours to days. Level 5, the highest, means such an eruption is underway. The precautions The government has suspended work and schools have been closed in a number of towns and cities, including Manila, because of health risks from the ash. Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, affecting tens of thousands of passengers. More than 38,000 people have been relocated so far to over 200 evacuation centers. Treacherous past Taal’s last disastrous eruption, in 1965, killed hundreds of people. It is the second-most restive of about two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines, which lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where much of the world’s seismic activity occurs. Did you know A long-dormant volcano, Mount Pinatubo, blew its top north of Manila in 1991 in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing hundreds of people. A part of the town covered in volcanic ash Area covered in volcanic ash View of Taal from deserted village Taal spews ash and smoke

If anyone doubted the environmental threats, it’s time to change their minds now. While the bushfires in Australia are still raging, another country is gearing to fight another natural calamity. 

A volcano ready to erupt

A volcano near the Philippine capital Manila has been spewing lava into the sky and trembling constantly. The earthquakes are almost constant near the area. As ecologists fear more dangerous volcanic eruptions, millions of people have fled their homes.

Though small in size, Taal volcano in the Philippines may erupt anytime as the ash has spread over a vast amount of land.

The activity

More than 350 volcanic earthquakes have been recorded near Taal since Sunday when it first blasted a 15-kilometer column of ash, steam and rock into the sky. The volcano was spurting fountains of red-hot lava into the sky, and the massive column of ash and volcanic debris at times lit up with streaks of lightning.

The alert level since the eruption began Sunday has been 4, indicating a hazardous eruption is possible in hours to days. Level 5, the highest, means such an eruption is underway.

The precautions

The government has suspended work and schools have been closed in a number of towns and cities, including Manila, because of health risks from the ash. Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, affecting tens of thousands of passengers.

More than 38,000 people have been relocated so far to over 200 evacuation centers.

Treacherous past 

Taal’s last disastrous eruption, in 1965, killed hundreds of people. It is the second-most restive of about two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines, which lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where much of the world’s seismic activity occurs.

Did you know

A long-dormant volcano, Mount Pinatubo, blew its top north of Manila in 1991 in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing hundreds of people.

A part of the town covered in volcanic ash

Area covered in volcanic ash

View of Taal from deserted village

Taal spews ash and smoke

Location

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