MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Southern Tagalog went on heightened alert after Alert Level 3 was raised over the Taal Volcano on Saturday morning.
In a statement, PCG Commandant, Admiral Artemio Abu said he ordered the heightened alert status at the PCG District Southern Tagalog following the phreatomagmatic bursts recorded in Taal Volcano.
The PCG also dispatched a deployable response group to monitor the situation.
Abu said he has ordered the PCG Sub-Station Talisay and PCG Sub-Station San Nicolas to conduct patrolling operations and to implement the forced evacuation of all fishermen and fish cage workers in the lake off Taal Volcano Island.
Two PCG trucks are also on standby in Batangas to help in the evacuation of affected residents.
According to Phivolcs, plumes as high as 1.5 kilometers were spotted from Taal’s main crater at 7:22 a.m. accompanied by volcanic earthquakes.
The agency warned that this may mean that there is magmatic intrusion near the main crater “that may further drive succeeding eruptions.”