Volcano near Manila erupts: What we know so far

Manila: Taal Volcano, about an hour by car from Manila, has turned restive once more on Wednesday, a few hours after a deadly earthquake left a trail of death and destruction in central Philippines.

Seismologists recorded two "phreatomagmatic" eruptions from Taal Volcano Island's main crater, starting at 2:02 am on October 1, 2025.

The event produced a 2,500-meter-high plume that drifted northwest. Alert Level 1 prevails over Taal Volcano.

Taal Volcano is about 130km south of the Philippine capital.

Taal's last recorded activity was on December 3, 2024, when it catapulted a plume of steam and ashes rising 2,800 metres into the sky.

Despite the steam-driven or “phreatomagmatic" eruption and overall unrest, the volcano is “unlikely” to have a major magmatic eruption at this time, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Experts reported that the volcanic activity, including earthquakes and slight ground movements, suggests low risk for a large-scale eruption.

Taal volcano erupted just about the same time as the earthquake in Cebu City.

A volcanologist said that the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu has no direct relation to Taal Volcano’s eruptions early Wednesday morning.