BATANGAS CITY – The state’s volcanologists are closely monitoring Taal volcano following another minor eruption on Saturday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Taal had another minor phreatomagmatic eruption at 11:32 a.m. that lasted four minutes. In an advisory, a total of five phreatic events were recorded today and 30 minor eruptive events since September 22, 2024.
The Office of Civil Defense Region IV-A is on blue alert following today’s eruption and is closely monitoring the situation through the regional disaster risk reduction management council in Calabarzon.
The OCD said ash was reported in parts of Agoncillo, Batangas but there was no immediate report of affected communities in nearby areas like Talisay, Laurel, San Nicolas, and Balete.
Phivolcs said sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions yesterday averaged 3,276 tonnes/day while SO2 emissions since January this year remain high at 6,673 tonnes/day.
It said the phreatomagmatic event was likely driven by sudden contact of water with a small branch of shallow magma that has been in place beneath the Taal Main Crater.
It added the volcanic earthquake activity and ground deformation detected at Taal indicate that unrest is unlikely to progress into a major magmatic eruption.
Phivolcs has maintained Alert Level 1 at Taal or a low level of volcanic unrest but said should phreatomagmatic activity persist or intensify, then the Alert Level may be raised to Alert Level 2. (PIA CALABARZON)
