Lightning Flashes in Volcanic Plume Thrown Up by Taal Eruption

The eruption of the Taal volcano in the Batangas province of the Philippines on January 12 threw a plume of dust and gas at least 10 kilometers into the air, prompting mass evacuations and the closure of roads and schools.

David Le, who took this video, told Storyful that he was visiting the area and had intended to travel to the volcano that day, but was waylaid after his friend was “attacked by a monkey.” The pair took a detour so Le’s friend could get vaccinated, he said. Le’s video, captured from Batangas, shows flashes of lightning illuminating the plume as the eruption continued.

Local officials declared a “state of calamity” in the province on January 13, according to local reports, with authorities urging the evacuation of about half a million people in at-risk areas.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a bulletin that the island where Taal is located is designated a Permanent Danger Zone, with access to the island and some nearby areas restricted. Credit: David Le via Storyful