MANILA, Philippines – More than 40 earthquakes near Taal Volcano have been monitored and recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) since a magnitude 4.1 tremor rocked Agoncillo, Batangas on Monday night.
Data from Phivolcs’ website showed that 44 earthquakes were recorded from 11:39p.m. Monday night until 5:50a.m. Tuesday.
The earthquakes were recorded in the towns of Agoncillo, Laurel, Lemery, Mataas na Kahoy, Calaca, San Luis in Batangas and Alfonso and Tagaytay City in Cavite.
One of the strongest earthquakes within the six-hour span was a measured at magnitude 3.6 in Taal and felt at Intensity III in Tagaytay City; and a magnitude 3.9 earthquake in Talisay, which was felt at Intensity IV also in Tagaytay City.
Earlier, Phivolcs Science Research Assistant Benz Rodriguez said in a radio dzMM interview that even if the Talisay earthquake was tectonic in origin, the series of earthquakes were mostly caused by restive Taal Volcano.
Taal Volcano erupted on Sunday afternoon. Phivolcs eventually raised Alert Level 4 in the Taal Volcano area, which means that people within the 17 kilometer radius should be evacuated.