FILE PHOTO: The scenic view of Taal Volcano from Tagaytay City, Cavite, shown in this photo taken on October 24, 2023. This photo portrays calmness amid the volcano’s continued emission of toxic gas. MARLON MALLARI/ CONTRIBUTOR
LUCENA CITY – For the past two days, Taal Volcano in Batangas province spewed its lowest volume of sulfur dioxide (SO2) for the year, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Only 2,516 metric tons (MT) of SO2 gas emission from the volcano’s main crater was measured on Monday and Tuesday, April 15 and 16, Phivolcs’ daily bulletin showed.
No volcanic tremor was also recorded in the past two days.
READ: Taal Volcano blows off steam, but no lava – Phivolcs
The latest record is Taal’s lowest level of toxic gas emissions from the year. It eclipsed the 4,532 MT logged on March 13.
It was likewise a sizeable drop from 18,638 MT of toxic gas logged on March 28 and 29, tagged as “the highest flux recorded this year.”
On Tuesday, the emission rose to 900 meters above Taal’s island, the volcano’s crater landmass, locally known as “Pulo,” that sits within Taal Lake, before drifting in the southwest direction, the Phivolcs report said.
READ: Taal Volcano back to spewing high-volume of toxic gas
However, the state volcanologist still observed an “upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake.”
Taal Volcano is still under alert level 1 (low level of volcanic unrest), Phivolcs added. The agency reminded the public that Taal Volcano remained in an “abnormal condition” and “should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.”