Taal again spews high volume of toxic gas

BEAUTY IN A LAKE The scenic view of Taal Volcano from Tagaytay City, Cavite, shown in this photo taken on Oct. 24, portrays calmness amid its continued emission of toxic gas. —MARLON MALLARI/CONTRIBUTOR

Taal Volcano in Batangas province continued to spew a high volume of sulfur dioxide (SO2) on Thursday, surpassing the record level of the harmful gas it emitted last year, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In its report on Friday, Phivolcs said the volcano’s SO2 gas flux was 12,685 metric tons (MT) on Thursday, which was higher than the 11,499 MT recorded on Nov. 9 last year. Government volcanologists also observed “upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the main crater lake.”

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Volcanic gases that reached 900 meters high were seen to drift southwest based on the air parcel trajectory but no earthquake was recorded on Thursday, Phivolcs said.

Taal also released a high volume of toxic volcanic gas from Dec. 15 to Dec. 21 last year when it emitted 11,437 MT of SO2 daily. On Dec. 26, the level of emission dropped to 9,557 MT and further fell to 8,931 MT on Dec. 28 until Jan. 1.On Tuesday, the volcano registered 11,434 MT until the next day.

Smog

The high level of SO2 emissions and sporadic steam releases which Phivolcs considered as “alarming” have caused volcanic smog, or “vog”—a harmful haze that contains volcanic ash and gas—to descend on areas close to the volcano.

Vog is composed of SO2 gas and could irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Notably, people with respiratory conditions and pregnant women are at greater risk.

Local health officials have yet to issue a public advisory on the harm brought by the high volume of toxic volcanic gas.

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However, during similar episodes in the past, government officials in all localities surrounding the volcano had always reminded residents to wear face masks, preferably the N-95 type, when going out of the house for protection against SO2 plumes from the volcano.

Taal Volcano remained under alert level 1 (low level of volcanic unrest), according to the state volcanologist.

Under alert level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within Taal

Volcano Island, Phivolcs said.

Off-limits

Taal Volcano Island, which sits in the middle of Taal Lake and known as “Pulo,” has been off limits to following the volcano’s major eruption in January 2020 that forced thousands of residents to flee.

At that time, the volcano generated up to 3,000-meter flumes that brought ashfall as far as Metro Manila.

Since then, Taal, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, has had varying degrees of phreatic or steam-driven eruptions that once again drove residents in lakeside communities out of their homes.

Phivolcs asked civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying near or over Taal Volcano Island as airborne ash and fragments from sudden explosions and wind-remobilized ash may pose hazards to aircraft.