Philippine volcano alert lowered, thousands return home

Philippine authorities on Sunday lowered the alert level at Taal Volcano, two weeks after it began spewing ash, steam and rocks, a move that will allow many of the more than 376,000 displaced villagers to return home.

A popular tourist destination just south of Manila because of its picturesque setting in the middle of a lake, Taal erupted on January 12.

It caused no known deaths but delivered an early crisis this year for one of the world's most disaster-prone nations.

Taal volcano's condition in the two weeks ... has generally declined into less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, decelerated ground deformation ... and weak steam and gas emissions at the main crater, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The government's agency lowered the alert level from 4 to 3, which means there's a "decreased tendency toward a hazardous eruption."