Philippine volcano spews ash and steam, evacuation underway

A small volcano in a scenic lake near the Philippine capital has belched a white plume of steam and ash 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) into the sky in a brief but powerful explosion on Saturday

MANILA, Philippines -- A small volcano in a scenic lake near the Philippine capital blew a white plume of steam and ash 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) into the sky in a brief but powerful explosion Saturday, prompting authorities to raise the alert level and evacuate hundreds of residents from high-risk villages.

Magma came into contact with water in the main crater of Taal volcano in Batangas province, setting off the steam-driven blast that was followed by smaller emissions and accompanied by volcanic earthquakes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The institute raised the alarm at the 1,020-foot (311-meter) Taal, one of the world’s smallest volcanoes, to the third level in a five-step warning system, meaning “there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions.” Alert level 5 means a life-threatening eruption that could destroy communities is underway.

Residents of five lakeside villages within a 7-kilometer (4-mile) danger zone from the crater in the Batangas towns of Agoncillo and Laurel were warned of possible hazards, including fast-moving gas and molten materials and “volcanic tsunami” in Taal lake, and began evacuating to safety.