(A view of the Taal Volcano, located in Tagaytay City, Cavite. Photo from Tagaytay Tourism Office)
LUCENA CITY — Taal Volcano in Batangas province on Tuesday emitted the lowest volume of harmful gas this year, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Wednesday, June 5.
A total of 1,454 metric tons (MT) of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the volcano’s main crater was measured over the past 24 hours and rose to 1,800 meters above Taal Volcano Island, the volcano’s crater landmass locally known as “Pulo” that sits within Taal Lake, before drifting southeast and north-northeast, the Phivolcs report said.
However, the state volcanologist observed an “upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake.”
The latest record is Taal’s lowest level of toxic gas emissions for 2024. It eclipsed the 2,516 MT of SO2 gas emission logged on April 15 and 16.
READ: Taal Volcano logs lowest toxic gas emission this 2024
It was also a drop from 18,638 MT of toxic gas logged on March 28 and 29, tagged as the highest flux recorded this year.
On May 30, the volcano emitted 10,469 MT of toxic gas, a sudden rise from 3,164 MT recorded on May 27.
No volcanic tremor was recorded in the past two days.
Alert Level 1 prevails over Taal Volcano, indicating that it is still in abnormal condition and should not be interpreted as having ceased unrest nor the threat of eruptive activity.