More than 50,000 people have fled a potential “explosive eruption” of the Taal volcano, which has spewed lava and plumes of ash near the Philippine capital since Sunday.

Volcanologists have warned an eruption could rain rocks and magma and set off a tsunami from the lake in which the volcano sits.

Meanwhile, thick ashfall from the volcano has cloaked many towns in the Batangas province causing millions of dollars worth of damage to crops. Clouds of ash were blown 62 miles to Manila, forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled.