MANILA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- A small volcano in a scenic lake south of Manila erupted on Thursday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
According to the institute, a "minor phreatomagmatic eruption" occurred at Taal Volcano in Batangas province, over 60 km south of Manila, at 6:06 p.m. local time Thursday. The eruption lasted for five minutes.
The institute said the event generated a dark gray plume that rose 4,000 meters above the crater. The ashfall is expected to affect nearby southwestern regions.
Alert Level 1 is maintained over Taal Volcano, with Level 5 the highest in scale.
Taal Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. An eruption in January 2020 displaced nearly 380,000 villagers and destroyed 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. ■