Reuters
Philippines evacuates residents as small volcano spews mile-high plume
A small but restive volcano south of the Philippine capital spewed a 1.5 km plume on Saturday, prompting authorities to raise an alert level and evacuate more than a thousand residents. The alert for the Taal volcano, about 70 km (45 miles) south of central Manila, was increased to level 3 from level 2 on the 5-level scale, which the seismology and volcanology agency said meant “there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions”. “Magma in the shallow part of the crater interacted with water, causing an eruption called phreatomagmatic activity,” Renato Solidum, head volcanology agency, told DZMM radio station.
