Phivolcs warns Taal Volcano may erupt anytime

STILL RESTIVE Volcanic smog or “vog” envelops Taal Volcano in Batangas province in this photo taken at 3:30 p.m. from Tagaytay City in Cavite on Sept. 9, 2024. The volcano, which remains under Alert Level 1, records an “upwelling of hot volcanic fluids” in the volcano’s main crater lake, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. —Photo courtesy of Sheila Tan

LUCENA CITY, QUEZON, Philippines – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday warned that the increase in real-time seismic energy measurement (RSAM) and the low level of emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in Taal Volcano in Batangas province since last month may trigger an eruption.

“The sharp increase in RSAM and the lack of observable degassing from the Main Crater may indicate blockage or plugging of volcanic gas pathways within the volcano, which may lead to short-term pressurization and trigger a phreatic or even a minor phreatomagmatic eruption,” the Phivolcs said in an advisory at 4 p.m. Sunday.

READ: Taal Volcano logs phreatic eruption, 9 quakes

Phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot rocks, or new volcanic deposits (for example, tephra and pyroclastic-flow deposits). The volcano had a a phreatic eruption that lasted 17 minutes on June 17. /cb —Delfin T. Mallari Jr.