MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Philippine officials have urged a "total evacuation" of millions of people close to Manila, after a volcano spewed ash up to nine miles into the air on Sunday, prompting warnings of a possible "explosive eruption," CNN reports.
The BBC reports that early Monday, a weak flow of lava began seeping out of Taal volcano, which is located around 45 miles south of Manila.
According to the BBC, Taal had earlier emitted a huge plume of ash, triggering the mass evacuation of 8,000 people from the immediate area.
The BBC cites that Taal is the country's second most active volcano, located in the middle of a lake.
CNN reports that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology—PHIVOLCS—has raised the alert lever to four, meaning an "explosive eruption" could happen in the coming hours or days.
The highest alert level is five, indicating that an eruption is taking place.
According to CNN, in explosive eruptions, magma is fragmented and violently released from the volcano as opposed to thick lava flowing out.
PHIVOLCS has requested a "total evacuation" of citizens within a 10.5 mile radius around the volcano.
The BBC reports that Taal is also one of the world's smallest volcanoes and has recorded at least 34 eruptions in the past 450 years.