FOUR short phreatomagmatic bursts in the Taal Volcano have been recorded since it was placed under Alert Level 3, according to state volcanologists.
In its 8 a.m. bulletin posted Friday, July 2, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said phreatomagmatic bursts, which lasted not longer than two minutes each, happened at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m., and 8:20 p.m. on Thursday.
These bursts also produced short jetted plumes that rose 200 meters above the main crater lake.
PHIVOLCS also recorded 29 volcanic earthquakes including one explosion-type earthquake, 22 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and two volcanic tremors that lasted for three minutes.
“High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide and steam-rich plumes that rose as much as 3000 meters high and drifted southwest and southeast have been observed from the Taal Main Crater,” it said.
“In addition, vog was observed over Taal Volcano and vicinity,” it added.
PHIVOLCS warned that magma rising from Taal’s crater may cause an “explosive eruption.”
“At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the main crater could drive explosive eruption,” it said in its bulletin.
The agency stressed that entry into the Taal Volcano Island as well as into the high-risk areas in Batangas should be prohibited.
“The public is reminded that the entire Taal Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and entry into the island as well as into the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel must be prohibited due to the hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami should strong eruptions occur,” PHIVOLCS said.
“All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time. Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify,” it added.
On Thursday, July 1, the Taal Volcano under Alert Level 3 after its main crater “generated a short-lived dark phreatomagmatic plume one kilometer high” from 3:16 p.m. to 3:21 p.m.
Alert Level 3 indicates that a “hazardous eruption is possible within days to weeks.”
Early Friday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that over 1,000 people have evacuated in Batangas following the Taal Volcano’s unrest.
According to the agency’s 5 a.m. report, a total of 1,392 individuals or 345 families are staying in evacuation centers.
Thirteen barangays in Batangas were affected by the explosion including Poblacion and Sinturisan in San Nicolas; Gulod, Buso Buso, Bugaan West, and Bugaan East in Laurel; Subic Ilaya, Banyaga, and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo; Apacay in Taal; Luyos and Boot in Tanauan City; and San Sebastian in Balete.
For its part, Malacañang said that it is closely monitoring the Taal Volcano.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Taal after the phreatomagmatic eruptions that occurred in Taal Volcano,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday.
He also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 4-A (Calabarzon) has prepared stockpiles of P1.4-million worth of food packs and P11-million worth of non-food items for affected residents.
“We ask residents in the areas surrounding the volcano lake to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures, cooperate with their local authorities should the need for evacuation arise,” Roque said. n
