Taal Volcano in the Philippines spewed out gas during a phreatomagmatic burst on Saturday morning, authorities said.

Video taken in Batangas province on March 26 shows a huge cloud of white gas billowing out from the volcano.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has raised Alert Level 3 indicating ‘high levels of volcanic unrest’.

It said in a statement: ‘At 7:22 am PST, Taal Volcano Main Crater generated a short-lived phreatomagmatic burst which was followed by nearly continuous phreatomagmatic activity that generated 1500-m plumes accompanied by volcanic earthquake and infrasound signals.

‘In view of the above, DOST-PHIVOLCS is now raising the alert status of Taal from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3. This means that there is magmatic intrusion at the Main Crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions.’

The national disaster council said communities in five barangays within a seven-kilometre radius from the volcano’s crater have been evacuated.

Taal Volcano had been at Alert Level 2 since July 2021.

A phreatomagmatic burst is an eruption caused by magma and water interacting with each other, leading to an ejection of both steam and pyroclastic material, the United States Geological Survey said.