Phreatomagmatic activity in Taal Volcano (Screengrab from Phivolcs)
MANILA, Philippines — Four short phreatomagmatic bursts have been recorded in Taal Volcano on Thursday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
In its bulletin late Thursday night, Phivolcs said four short phreatomagmatic bursts, which lasted for no longer than two minutes each, occurred in the volcano and “produced short jetted plumes” that rose 200 meters above the Main Crater Lake.
The bursts occurred at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m., and 8:20 p.m., said Phivolcs.
This came after a phreatomagmatic eruption from the main crater that occurred on Thursday afternoon that prompted Phivolcs to raise Alert Level 3 over Taal Volcano.
None recorded since
In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Friday morning, Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said no phreatomagmatic bursts were recorded since Thursday night.
“Pagkatapos noong apat na maliliit na pagsabog kagabi, wala na pong sumunod. Ang nakikita natin ngayon ay yung paglabas ng mapuputing usok, may gas po dyan at water vapor na madalas ay pinapadpad yan papuntang timog-kanluran,” Solidum said.
“Wala naman masyadong pagyanig na nare-record sa kasalukuyan ang mga instrumento natin sa Taal Volcano Island,” he added.
Solidum said the activities in Taal Volcano is not new, adding there have been similar activities in the past.
“Hindi naman kakaiba ang pinapakita ng Taal Volcano ngayon,” Solidum said.
Solidum earlier said Phivolcs is not expecting Taal Volcano to erupt the way it did in January 2020.
He cited a difference in the way Taal Volcano erupted more than a year ago and on Thursday, explaining that Taal is now acting up in an “open system,” thus, containing less pressure compared to its January 2020 flare-up.