The Taal volcano shoots ash into the sky. Underground magma cracks roads. Philippine government officials warn residents: You can’t live here anymore. It’s just too dangerous.
Taal roared into action one day this January. People fled their island homes in boats just hours before it blew. They waited in emergency shelters, knowing a bigger eruption could still happen. Now officials are thinking hard. They need a new plan to protect these Filipinos.
Can the people go home? Officials say no. Around 6,000 families live in four villages surrounding Taal. Or, we should say, lived. These people worked mostly as tour guides, farmers, and fish pen operators. Where will they live now? For safety, a new living spot needs to be at least 10 miles away from the volcano.
Living on the volcano island has been off limits for a long time. But poor villagers have lived and worked there for decades anyway. Now officials want to make sure people obey the rules. The island should be turned into a “no man’s land.”
Many islanders don’t want to give up their homes. But God gave government officials the job of keeping their people safe. They won’t budge on their decision. Maybe someday people will be allowed to work on the island again, they say. But they should never be allowed to live there.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”—a string of cracks in Earth’s crust. Many of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions happen along the Ring of Fire. Taal towers 1,020 feet in the air. It’s the second most active volcano in the Philippines.
Still, it’s no wonder people want to live there . . . when Taal isn’t erupting, that is. It’s beautiful and peaceful. Dozens of craters dot the lush island. It sits in the middle of a shimmering lake. People escape there from Manila, the country’s smoggy, busy capital city. They make money working at hotels, restaurants, and spas.
But going home isn’t a good idea. One man snuck back to the island to check on his pigs just after the eruption. He says, “Almost everything was destroyed.”
