Taal Volcano restive – Phivolcs

Photo by: J. Gerard Seguia Taal volcano island covered in volcanic ash as its alert level was downgraded to 3 from 4 since it erupted two weeks ago.

MANILA, Philippines: Taal Volcano in Batangas province has shown increased seismic activity for the past few days, including the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Friday.

Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said phreatic or steam-driven eruption at the volcano’s main crater occurred between 5:11 a.m. and 5:24 a.m. on Friday based on seismic, visual and infrasound records of the Taal Volcano Network.

“The event produced a white steam-laden plume some 2,400 meters tall that drifted southwest,” he said.

Phivolcs said the gas emission was measured at 9,677 tons per day on April 11, 2024.

“It has been consistently elevated this year, averaging 10,248 tons per day since January 2024,” Bacolcol said.

He added that the phreatic event was likely driven by the continued emission of hot volcanic gasses at its main crater and could be succeeded by similar phreatic activity.

However, Phivolcs said in its latest advisory that the levels of earthquake activity and ground deformation detected at the volcano would indicate that the unrest was unlikely to progress into a magmatic eruption.

At present, the Batangas volcano is under Alert Level 1, which means that it is still in abnormal condition and should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.

At Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ash fall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the island.

Phivolcs said that entry into Taal’s permanent danger zone, especially in the vicinities of its main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, must remain strictly prohibited.