Taal volcano eruptions quieting down in the Philippines

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Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Photo Credit: Eloisa Lopez, Reuters

For the past week, Taal volcano in the Philippines has had a series of eruptions leaving tens of thousands of people without homes and the land in ash. Although the eruptions have lulled, it is unclear whether the volcano will erupt again.

According to Reuters, despite the volcano calming down last Thursday, authorities still have warned people not to return to their homes yet as a nine-mile exclusion zone had already been set.

As of last week, over 53,000 people have escaped to evacuation shelters while over a thousand have either remained in their homes or returned for their possessions.

The Atlantic also reports that the eruptions have led to the aftermath of gray volcanic ash covering the entire landscape.

 Niles North senior Gabe Stelea said, “It was radical for people looking at it; [I] feel bad for civilians that are around the volcano and [I send my] prayers for everyone there.”

The Taal volcano is located in the Philippines where the last major eruption recorded was in 1977, 42 years ago. It has caused one of the biggest tragedies in the Philippines during its eruption in 1911, which killed more than 1,300 people.

The event is ongoing as a chance of another eruption is unknown.