Small volcano near Philippine capital erupts

MANILA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) — A small volcano in a scenic lake south of Manila erupted on Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Teresito Bacolcol, the Philippines’ chief volcanologist, said a “minor phreatomagmatic eruption” occurred in the volcano in Batangas province, 66 km south of Manila, at 4:21 p.m. local time Wednesday. The eruption lasted 11 minutes.
“The event produced a short black jetted plume followed by a steam-rich plume that rose to 2,400 meters above the main crater,” Bacolcol told a radio interview.
“The eruption happened after water came in contact with hot volcanic materials such as rocks and gases,” Bacolcol added.
The institute said that alert level 1 prevails over the volcano as it remains “in abnormal condition” but is unlikely to escalate into a major eruption.
Taal volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, last erupted in January 2020, displacing nearly 380,000 villagers and destroying many farms, houses, and roads in the province.
The Philippine archipelago straddles the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. ■