Volcanic quakes continue as Taal unrest enters 4th week

MANILA, Philippines — Volcanic earthquakes continued to rock Taal Volcano Island and nearby towns on Monday, as the country’s second most active volcano entered its fourth week of unrest, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Monday.

Between Sunday morning and Monday morning, Taal’s seismic monitoring network recorded 134 quakes, including one low-frequency event.

Phivolcs said two of these were felt in several towns early Monday, one at 3.2 magnitude at 4:20 a.m. and the other at 2.3 magnitude at 5:42 a.m.

Magma continues to move

These tremors were felt strongest in Laurel and Agoncillo towns in Batangas province, which reported the shaking at Intensity 4. The quakes were also reportedly felt at weaker intensities in Lemery, Batangas, and in Tagaytay City.

Volcanologists said these quakes signify that magma continues to move underneath Taal and could still lead to an eruption at the main crater.

In the recent days, volcanic activities in Taal had weakened and lessened, compared to its first week of restlessness.

While its alert status remained at the third of a five-step level, Phivolcs still cautioned the public that sudden steam-driven and even weak phreatomagmatic eruptions can still occur from the main crater.

Phreatomagmatic eruptions are explosive eruptions that results from magma — molten rock — erupting through water.

It can cause a high eruption column with pyroclastic fragments, and can come with a base surge, or a hot, rapid flow of ash, gas and volcanic materials.

Aside from quakes, state volcanologists said ashfall and toxic volcanic gas also threaten the areas within the Volcano Island and nearby lakeshores.