Taal emits ‘wispy’ steam reaching 50 meters tall

MANILA, Philippines — There was a “wispy” emission of white to dirty steam in the main crater of the Taal Volcano’ over the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Saturday.

In its latest 8 a.m. bulletin, Phivolcs added that the steam reached 50 meters tall, and drifted southwest.

The recorded number in steam emission was a drastic drop as compared to Friday’s data of 500 to 700 meters in steam emission, as well as Thursday’s record of 800 meters high.

Sulfur dioxide emission, meanwhile, was measured at 65 tonnes per day.

Phivolcs added that the Taal Volcano Network recorded 182 volcanic earthquakes, which included one low-frequency earthquake and one harmonic tremor that lasted three minutes.

“These earthquakes signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the main crater,” Phivolcs said.

Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Taal Volcano, meaning “sudden steam-driven and even weak phreatomagmatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall, and lethal volcanic gas expulsions can still occur and threaten areas within Taal Volcano Island and nearby lake shores.”

Phivolcs further recommended that entry to Taal Lake, as well as communities west of the island, within a seven-kilometer radius from the volcano’s main crater must be “strictly prohibited.”

Edited by MUF