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NEARLY half a million people have been ordered to flee a massive volcano that is spewing out red hot lava amid fears of an imminent “explosive eruption” only 40 miles south of the Philipine capital Manila.

At least one man has died, and three others were injured after the lorry he was driving crashed in dense clouds of volcanic ash from the eruption.

Ash pours into the sky overnight from Taal volcano in the PhilippinesCredit: Rex Features

The mountain spews out red-hot lava, causing people to fleeCredit: phivolcs_dost

The volcano suddenly jumped back to life after months dormantCredit: phivolcs_dost

Terrifying images show red-hot lava gushing out of Taal volcano in the Philippines today, with volcanic lightning illuminating the cloud of ash towering into the sky.

Experts are now warning that if the eruption reaches level 5 in intensity, the earthquakes it generates could cause a tsunami in the lake.

The eruption sparked a mass evacuation of almost 500,000 people living within 11 miles of the volcano, with more than 13,000 so far moved to evacuation centres in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite.

Hundreds of thousands more could be forced to run for their lives after experts warned the eruption could get worse.

Mt Taal: Killer volcano

At 1020ft, Mt Taal is the Philippines’ second most active volcano, after Mt Mayon.

Between 1572 and 1977, it experienced 34 eruptions, six of which caused deaths.

A period of activity in 1754 continued for more than half a year and covered six towns with ash.

A violent eruption in 1911 killed more than 1,300 people.

Clouds of ash reached the country’s bustling capital Manila, just 62 miles to the north, forcing the shutdown of the country's main airport, with more than 500 flights cancelled so far.

There have been no reports of casualties or major damage up to now from the eruption, which began Sunday.

But experts have warned Taal could turn “explosive” and blow at any time this week as they upgrade it to Level 4, hovering on 5.

Some locals could not move out of ash-blanketed villages due to a lack of transport and poor visibility, while others refused to leave their homes and farms.

MASS EVACUATION

Mayor Wilson Maralit of Balete town told DZMM radio: “We have a problem, our people are panicking due to the volcano because they want to save their livelihood, their pigs and herds of cows.

“We’re trying to stop them from returning and warning that the volcano can explode again any time and hit them.”

Maralit, whose town lies along the shoreline of Taal Lake surrounding the erupting volcano, appealed for troops and additional police to be deployed to stop distraught residents from sneaking back into their high-risk villages.

Local resident Irene de Claro said she was worried about her dad, who stayed behind in the village of Agoncillo.

She said: “My father is missing.

“We don’t know too what happened to our house because the ash was up to our knees, it was very dark and the ground was constantly shaking when we left.

“Most likely there’s nothing for us to return to. Were back to zero.”

A terrifying cloud of ash is lit up by rare volcanic lightning

Experts fear the eruption could get much worse and become 'explosive'

A family flees to safer ground in Lemery, Batangas Province

Towns and villages were covered in ash from the massive eruption

Some were unable to flee because of the bad visibility caused by the ash

Several planes stranded at Manila's airport may be allowed to take off once they are cleaned of ash and authorities are sure an easterly shift in ash-laden wind away from the capital would not revert, airport general Ed Monreal told a news conference.

The airport cannot accommodate incoming flights until stranded aircraft fly out and free up parking bays, he said.

Salvador Medialdea, President Duterte’s executive secretary, announced the suspension of school classes and government offices in the capital and the two regions north and south of it.

Financial markets also closed for the day because of uncertainty about the safety of travelling to work.

Taal had been restive for months until it suddenly rumbled back to life Sunday, blasting steam, ash and pebbles up to nine miles into the sky, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

What is volcanic lightning and why does it occur?

The exact cause of volcanic lightning - which typically occurs at the start of an eruption - long has been debated among scientists, as the phenomenon is more difficult to study than the lightning that’s associated with thunderstorms.

In 2016, however, researchers determined volcanic lightning may be a result of both volcanic ash and ice.

“One cause is static electricity from particles rubbing together in dense ash clouds near the ground.

The other source of lightning happens near the stratosphere, high above the Earth's surface, where jockeying ice crystals unleash powerful jolts,” reports Live Science.

The earliest recorded observations of volcanic lightning are from Pliny the Younger, describing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

"There was a most intense darkness rendered more appalling by the fitful gleam of torches at intervals obscured by the transient blaze of lightning," he wrote.

The first scientific studies of volcanic lightning were also conducted at Mount Vesuvius by Professor Palmieri who observed the eruptions of 1858, 1861, 1868, and 1872 from the Vesuvius Observatory.