This is the terrifying moment the Taal Volcano erupted as stunned locals watched from a nearby port in the Philippines.

Officials reported that the volcano experienced three minor eruptions on Sunday in Batangas province, including one phreatic and at least two phreatomagmatic events lasting between one and four minutes.

The first phreatomagmatic eruption produced plumes reaching 3,940ft (1,200m) above the main crater, while the second generated plumes up to 6,900ft (2,100m).

Footage captured by Francis shows dramatic steam and ash clouds rising above the crater as residents looked on.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Taal recorded 33 volcanic earthquakes, including ten volcanic tremors lasting from two to 298 minutes.

Taal has been under Alert Level 1 since 2022, making the volcano island a permanent danger zone.

Phreatomagmatic eruptions occur when magma explosively interacts with water, releasing steam, gas, ash, and rock fragments. Phreatic, or steam-blast, eruptions happen when groundwater or surface water is rapidly vaporised by heat from magma or hot rocks, also producing steam, gas, ash, and rock debris.

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands inside the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where the majority of Earth's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes happen.