Residents were evacuated as Taal volcano continued to emit smoke with high levels of sulphur dioxide in the Philippines.

More than 3,000 people including pregnant women, children, elderly, and their families were taken to various shelters in Batangas province on July 1.

Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Renato Solidum Jr. said: ‘The dispersal of the sulphur dioxide gas [emitted by the volcano] is dependent [on] the wind direction, and the wind direction changes on elevation.

‘The wind may shift a little bit, but as you know the wind would disperse the SO2 gas and if it rains, it would just bring it down.’

The volcano rumbled and fired hot smoke and gas almost a mile into the sky. Officials raised the alert to level three and smoke covered homes in nearby capital Manila around 43 miles away.

Cameras monitoring the volcano recorded the moment of eruption. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it happened from 3:16 to 3:21 in the afternoon of Thursday, July 1, 2021.

Officials warned there was ‘magmatic intrusion’ at Taal’s main crater that may ‘drive succeeding eruptions’.

Residents were evacuated as Taal volcano continued to emit smoke with high levels of sulfu dioxide in the Philippines.

More than 3,000 people including pregnant women, children, elderly, and their families were taken to various shelters in Batangas province on July 1.

Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said: ‘The dispersal of the sulfur dioxide gas [emitted by the volcano] is dependent [on] the wind direction, and the wind direction changes on elevation.

‘The wind may shift a little bit, but as you know the wind would disperse the SO2 gas and if it rains, it would just bring it down.’

The volcano rumbled and fired hot smoke and gas almost a mile into the sky. Officials raised the alert to level three and smoke covered homes in nearby capital Manila around 43 miles away.

Cameras monitoring the volcano recorded the moment of eruption. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it happened from 3:16 to 3:21 in the afternoon of Thursday, July 1, 2021.

Officials warned there was ‘magmatic intrusion’ at Taal’s main crater that may ‘drive succeeding eruptions’.