S. Korea pledges US$200,000 in aid to Filipino victims of volcanic eruption

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea pledged Thursday to offer US$200,000 in humanitarian aid to some 45,000 Filipino victims of a volcanic eruption through the Philippine Red Cross, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Taal Volcano, 65 kilometers south of Manila, erupted Sunday, spewing out clouds of ash and hot lava and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes and find shelter. Taal Volcano last erupted in 1977.

"Through the swift provision of relief goods to those who are in evacuation centers due to the volcanic eruption, we hope this aid will contribute to the stabilization of the victims' lives," the ministry said in a press release.

The Philippines sits on the Ring of Fire, a vulnerable Pacific belt where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have frequently occurred.

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