Nearly 1,500 people evacuated in Batangas after Taal's explosion —police

A total of 1,499 people or 344 families are staying in evacuation centers on Friday after Taal Volcano erupted on Thursday, the Batangas Provincial Police Office (PPO) said.

In an 11 a.m. update, Batangas PPO said 1,126 residents in Laurel evacuated to at least seven elementary schools, 118 people from Talisay took temporary shelter in Calamba Regional Government Center, while 255 residents of Balete evacuated to Malabanan Elementary School

At least 64 search and rescue personnel have been deployed and 12 personnel were also stationed in evacuation areas, the Batangas PPO said.

According to the police, 58 people have returned to their homes in Agoncillo and Sto. Tomas.

At least five barangays in Laurel and Agoncillo, Batangas were directed to have forced evacuation amid the ongoing activity of the Taal Volcano, the Police Regional Office 4A said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) at least 13 barangays in Batangas were affected by the explosion

• Poblacion and Sinturisan in San Nicolas

ADVERTISEMENT

• Gulod, Buso Buso, Bugaan West, and Bugaan East in Laurel
• Subic Ilaya, Banyaga, and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo
• Apacay in Taal
• Luyos and Boot in Tanauan City
• San Sebastian in Balete

A short-lived phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at Taal's main crater on Thursday afternoon and generated a dark grayish plume that rose 1,000 meters, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

It was followed by four short phreatomagmatic bursts at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m., and 8:20 p.m. that lasted not longer than two minutes, producing plumes of up to 200 meters above the main crater lake.

As of Friday morning, Alert Level 3 remained over the Taal Volcano, which means magma extruding from the main crater could drive an explosive eruption.—AOL, GMA News