The Philippines was on alert Monday for the "explosive eruption" of a
volcano south of Manila, which officials said could be imminent after a massive column of ash forced a halt to flights at the capital's main airport.

Taal volcano, a popular tourist attraction set in the centre of a picturesque lake, spewed ash, rumbled with earthquakes and exploded with lightning above its crest.
A "hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days", the nation's seismological agency warned.