The volcano erupted on the afternoon of January 12, 2020, 43 years after its previous eruption in 1977. According to PHIVOLCS director Dr. Renato Solidum, seismic swarms began at 11 am and were later followed by phreatic eruption from Volcano Island Main Crater at around 1pm Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8). Loud rumbling sounds were also felt and heard from the volcano island. By 2:30pm, the PHIVOLCS raised the alert status to Alert Level 2, although the PHIVOLCS through its Taal Volcano Observatory had advised residents of Volcano Island to evacuate at around 1pm Stronger explosions began around 3pm that spewed an ash column exceeding a kilometer high, prompting the PHIVOLCS to upgrade the alert status to Alert Level 3 by 4pm. Furthermore, Solidum confirmed that there was a magmatic intrusion that was driving the volcano's unrest. The PHIVOLCS advised evacuation of the towns of Balete, San Nicolas, and Talisay in Batangas and other towns within the shores of Taal Lake. By 7:30pm, the PHIVOLCS upgraded the alert status to Alert Level 4 after volcanic activities intensified as continuous eruption generated a tall steam-laden tephra column with frequent volcanic lightning that rained wet ashfall on the general north as far as Quezon City and Caloocan. Ashfall from the volcano were also experienced in Cavite and Laguna, and reached as far as Metro Manila and Pampanga.