When the Lord washes away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst with a blast of searing judgment, then will the Lord create, over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, a smoking cloud by day and a light of flaming fire by night.
Isaiah 4:4-5
The eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas, Philippines on January 12, 2020, 43 years after its previous eruption in 1977, was a phreatic eruption from its main crater that spewed ashes across Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and some parts of Central Luzon and Ilocos Region, resulting to the suspension of classes, work schedules, and flights in the area. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) subsequently issued an Alert Level 4, indicating "that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days."
Ashfall from the volcano were also experienced in Cavite and Laguna, and reached as far as Metro Manila and Pampanga. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources presented a study that the air quality index of cities in Metro Manila had worsened; Mandaluyong had the highest amount of inhalable coarse particulate matter (PM10) with 118, followed by Las Piñas (108) and Taguig (104), all of which were "considered unhealthy for sensitive groups" with respiratory issues.
Demand for N95 masks increased rapidly, with some stores inflating its prices to ₱200 a piece from the standard ₱25–40 The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) dispatched teams to monitor and observe the movement of retail prices in the market and warned businesses against raising the prices for higher profit margins. After DTI inspection, it was found out that some medical establishments were selling 'fake' N95 masks, some of which are not medical-grade, and could still let in large foreign air particulates.
The Department of Health advised the public to remain indoors and minimize outdoor activities. They also advised the public to refrain from purchasing and consuming freshwater fish from the Taal Lake, such as tilapia and Sardinella tawilis, as these may have been affected by the sulfur from the eruption.
A total of 39 people perished in the eruption. According to the Manila Bulletin, people either perished in their homes because they refused to follow the evacuation order, or died in the evacuation centers of heart attacks caused by anxiety.
Source:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Taal_Volcano_eruption