EYE OPENERNature’s
fury
TA AL VOLC ANO,
THE PHILIPPINES
Residents use umbrellas to
shield themselves from
falling ash, as the Taal
volcano blasts a plume
high into the atmosphere
on 12 January 2020. This
steam-driven eruption
belched a torrent of hot
ash and gas 14km above
Ta al L ake, smo thering
nearby towns and farms.
Taal lies along the
seismically active Ring of
Fire in the Pacific. “That
plume is a mixture of rock,
minerals and volcanic
glass,” volcanologist Jazmin
Scarle explains. “Without
adequate protection,
residents risk eye irritation
and respiratory issues
from breathing in the ash.”
Since this photo was
taken, Lake Taal – the large
volcanic caldera pictured
here – has been almost
entirely obliterated, the
water vaporised by an
immense amount of
energy. “Generally, most
crater lakes naturally
recharge over time due to
groundwater and rainfall,
however, it does depend on
the volcano,” Scarle adds.
EYE OPENER
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