MANILA, Philippines — The number of earthquakes monitored at Taal Volcano, as well as the sulfur dioxide emission continued its decline on Monday after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered the alert level from 4 to 3.
In its 8 a.m. bulletin, Phivolcs said Taal Volcano emitted weak to moderate white steam-laden plumes that reached 50 to 800 meters high.
Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 87 tons per day.
A total of 170 volcanic earthquakes, four of them low-frequency, were recorded by the Taal Volcano Network.
“Hindi po ganoon kataasan yung usok na lumalabas, ‘yung latest natin sa sulfur dioxide mas mababa kumpara sa mga naunang araw ng pagsabog. Ang bilang ng mga volcanic earthquakes ay bumaba din,” Phivolcs officer-in-charge Undersecretary Renato Solidum said in an interview on Radyo Inquirer.
(The smoke is no longer that high. The latest sulfur dioxide levels are lower compared to those emitted during the first few days of the eruption. The number of volcanic earthquakes has also gone down.)
While the western side of Taal Volcano remains swollen, Solidum said it is no longer accelerating.
The rise of magma has also stopped.
Despite the lowered status to Alert Level 3, however, Phivolcs urged citizens residing near Taal Volcano to remain vigilant and to be ready to evacuate should the need arise.
“Kaya po natin binaba sa Alert Level 3, may decreased tendency towards hazardous eruption. Pero hindi nangangahulugan na kapag Alert Level 3 ay wala ng posibilidad na magkaroon ng mga pagsabog,” Solidum said.
(We decreased it to Alert Level 3 because there is a tendency towards hazardous eruption. But this does not eliminate the possibility of eruptions.)
He added that there is a possibility that Alert Level 4 will be raised anew if the volcano shows signs of increased activity.
Solidum encouraged local government units (LGUs) near Taal Volcano to assess the damage incurred by their localities’ roads and other hazards so that they would be able to evacuate residents at a moment’s notice.
“Dapat ready din sila mag-evacuate nang mabilisan,” he said.
(They should be ready to evacuate quickly.)
If Taal Volcano calms down further, Phivolcs said it may lower down the alert level status to 2.