Philippines volcano erupts

Taal, a volcano on the Philippine island of Luzon, erupted on Jan. 13 and continued to erupt over multiple days, sending ash thousands of feet into the air. The eruption, which occurred only 45 miles south of the capital, Manila, forced more than 70,000 people to evacuate the surrounding area and caused flight cancellations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. No major injuries were reported.

Though small, Taal is the second-most-active volcano in the Philippines. Because of its history of eruptions and because more than 450,000 people live within its “danger zone,” Taal is considered a “decade volcano,” a designation reserved for the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth.