Taal volcano evacuees queue up for donated food

Residents in a town near the Philippines' rumbling Taal volcano on Sunday received much-needed donations.

The residents, many of them evacuated from their homes, gathered in Tagatay's streets to get food and water donated by private individuals.

Nearly seven days of activity have displaced massive numbers of villagers in the area surrounding Taal.

Officials on Sunday said the government will no longer allow villagers to return to the crater-studded island where the erupting volcano lies.

Taal belched a massive plume of ash and steam more than 15 kilometres (nine miles) into the sky when it rumbled back to life last Sunday.

In recent days, it has been spewing smaller emissions and shuddering with fewer earthquakes.

But despite a perceived waning of its restiveness, continuing volcanic quakes, the drying of Taal's crater lake and other signs indicate magma is moving beneath, seismologists said.