MANILA, Philippines—A volcano southeast of the Philippine capital spewed ash and steam about a kilometer (half a mile) into the sky on Sunday, scattering ash on nearby villages and alarming residents, officials said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level at Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon province following the 17-minute blast but added there was no sign of an impending major eruption.
There were no reports of injuries, officials said. Fourteen people with four guides were hiking on a trail on the 1,565-meter (5,134-foot) volcano when it erupted close to noontime but everyone reached a nearby town safely, they said….