Taal Volcano Erupts Again: A History of Destructive Power Near Manila

The Taal Volcano near Manila, Philippines, erupted, as reported by the country's seismology agency. The alert level remains low. Taal, though small, has been historically deadly, with previous eruptions disrupting capital life and air travel. Recent eruptions in 2021 and 2020 led to large evacuations and widespread chaos.

The Philippines' Taal Volcano, located near the capital region of Manila, erupted on Wednesday, according to the country's seismology agency.

Details about the eruption's extent were not immediately disclosed, but officials confirmed that the alert level remains at the lowest on the scale. Taal, situated approximately 70 km (45 miles) south of central Manila, is one of the smallest active volcanoes globally. Despite its size, some of its past eruptions have significantly impacted the capital and disrupted air travel.

Standing at just 311 meters (1,020 feet), Taal can be lethally dangerous. In 1911, an eruption killed over 1,300 people. More recently, in January 2021, thousands were evacuated when the volcano unleashed a 1 km (0.62 mile) high plume of gas and steam. In January 2020, Taal emitted a towering 15 km column of ash and steam, displacing over 100,000 residents and causing widespread chaos in Manila.

(With inputs from agencies.)