Phivolcs: Taal Volcano still restive; steady lava fountaining ‘most likely’

Loud booming sounds were heard by nearby residents when Taal Volcano erupted Sunday. These images were taken about 3 p.m. or 2 hours after the eruption from Tagaytay City, Cavite. Photo from Tagaytay City Cavite Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council

MANILA, Philippines — Lava fountaining would “most likely” continue as Taal Volcano remains restive, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported Monday.

“Meron pong patuloy na activity. Tuloy-tuloy ‘yung activity ng Taal. May lumalabas at lumilikha siya ng eruption column, matiim na ash. So maari, most likely, lava fountaining na dire-diretso,” Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division Chief Ma. Antonia Bornas said in a press briefing.

(There is still continuous activity. Taal’s activity is ongoing. There’s emission and it’s creating an eruption column, black ash. So possibly, most likely, a steady lava fountaining.)

“Periodic kasi ‘yun e, periodic ang lava fountaining. Magsasaboy ng lava tapos aatras. Kasi may malalaki kasing pockets ng gas so nageexplode, ‘yung mga pockets ng gas,” Bornas explained.

(It’s periodic, lava fountaining is periodic. It will spew lava then it will move back. There are huge pockets of gas so it’s exploding, those pockets of gas.)

A lava fountain from Taal Volcano’s main crater was recorded early Monday morning.

Phivolcs earlier said the volcano’s phreatic or steam-driven activity “progressed into magmatic eruption,” or the rise of magma toward the surface as explained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Meanwhile, Taal Volcano remained under Alert Level 4, which means that “hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.”

Edited by KGA