Philippine Volcano Alert Lowered, Thousands Return Home

Philippine Volcano Alert Lowered, Thousands Return Home
Taal volcano emits small amounts of ash in Batangas province, southern Philippines, on Jan. 21, 2020. Philippines Office of Civil Defense via AP
|Updated:

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine authorities on Sunday lowered the alert level at Taal Volcano, two weeks after it began spewing ash, steam and rocks, a move that will allow many of the more than 376,000 displaced villagers to return home.

A popular tourist destination just south of Manila because of its picturesque setting in the middle of a lake, Taal erupted on Jan. 12. It caused no known deaths but delivered an early crisis this year for one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.