AP Photos: Ash billows from Philippine volcanic eruption
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, lightning strikes beside the ash cloud as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, residents evacuate as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man walks through thick ash on a road from Taal volcano in Lemery, Batangas, southern Philippines on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo, Erman Batan breaks in tears over her missing husband Roberto who she has not seen since they evacuated their homes near the Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 13, 2020, photo, a dog walks along ash fall covered road as Taal Volcano continues to spew ash in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, Taal volcano releases ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo,A family evacuates to safer grounds as Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Residents are evacuated to a local school as the Taal volcano continues to erupt in Santo Tomas, Batangas, southern Philippines, Monday January 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerrard Carreon)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch as the Taal volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch plumes of smoke and ash rise from as Taal volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, lightning strikes beside the ash cloud as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, lightning strikes beside the ash cloud as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, residents evacuate as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, residents evacuate as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man walks through thick ash on a road from Taal volcano in Lemery, Batangas, southern Philippines on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man walks through thick ash on a road from Taal volcano in Lemery, Batangas, southern Philippines on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo, Erman Batan breaks in tears over her missing husband Roberto who she has not seen since they evacuated their homes near the Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo, Erman Batan breaks in tears over her missing husband Roberto who she has not seen since they evacuated their homes near the Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 13, 2020, photo, a dog walks along ash fall covered road as Taal Volcano continues to spew ash in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 13, 2020, photo, a dog walks along ash fall covered road as Taal Volcano continues to spew ash in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, Taal volcano releases ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this Jan. 12, 2020, photo, Taal volcano releases ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo,A family evacuates to safer grounds as Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, photo,A family evacuates to safer grounds as Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Residents are evacuated to a local school as the Taal volcano continues to erupt in Santo Tomas, Batangas, southern Philippines, Monday January 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerrard Carreon)
Residents are evacuated to a local school as the Taal volcano continues to erupt in Santo Tomas, Batangas, southern Philippines, Monday January 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerrard Carreon)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch as the Taal volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people watch as the Taal volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
TAGAYTAY, Philippines (AP) — Clouds of ash blew far north of the Philippines’ Taal volcano, reaching Manila, the country’s bustling capital, and forcing the shutdown of its main airport after lava gushed out of the mountain on Monday. Thousands of villagers were fleeing to safety, but officials say the number could swell to hundreds of thousands. Poor visibility and a lack of transportation were hampering people’s efforts to leave. There have been no reports of casualties or major damage from the eruption, but experts warned that it could worsen. Taal, one of the world’s smallest volcanoes, is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines, which lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.