Taal, one of the world’s smallest active volcanoes located near the Philippine capital spewed above average sulphur dioxide and volcanic smog on Friday, Sept. 22, prompting authorities to close schools in several cities and dozens of towns.

Local media reported Thursday that at least 58 students were brought to nearby health clinics in the Batangas province after experiencing difficulty breathing and chest pains due to the volcanic smog, or vog.

In Greater Manila, several cities have suspended classes, while Manila’s local government has issued a health advisory urging residents to stay indoors and wear face masks when going out.

In January 2020, Taal spewed a column of ash and steam as high as 15 km (9.32 miles), forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate and dozens of flight cancellations as heavy ash fell as far away as Manila.

(Production: Adrian Portugal, Jay Ereno, Peter Blaza)

– Report from Reuters

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