Thick fog and ash covered Bulusan Volcano after it erupted in the Philippines.

Video shows the ominous blanket of churning ash and steam obscuring the volcano in Sorsogon, early morning on April 28.

PHIVOLCS said the phreatic or steam-driven eruption occurred at 4:36 am local time and lasted 24 minutes.

The agency said: 'Prior to the eruption, a 53 volcanic earthquakes were recorded over the 24-hour period yesterday. Rumbling sounds were reported by local government officials approximately 15 minutes before the eruption and were recorded by infrasound sensors.'

The alert status has been raised from Alert Level 0 to 1 at Mount Bulusan, signaling low-level unrest with more possible phreatic eruptions.

Locals were warned not to enter the 2.5 mile (4km) radius of the volcano's permanent danger zone.