Minor eruption occurs at Taal Volcano

December 4, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — A minor phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at Taal Volcano in Batangas early yesterday morning, causing ashfall in surrounding communities, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Phivolcs said the eruption occurred at 5:58 a.m. and lasted four minutes based on visual, seismic and infrasound records.

The eruption generated black plumes that rose 2,800 meters and drifted west-southwest.

Residents reported ashfall events in the villages of Poblacion and Buso-buso in Agoncillo and Laurel towns, respectively.

State volcanologists said the eruption could be caused by a sudden contact of water with a small batch of shallow magma beneath the Taal’s main crater.

Phivolcs said the volcano’s sulfur dioxide flux was higher on Nov. 30, which averaged at 7,216 tons, than the monthly average of 5,238 tons per day.

State seismologists said a localized inflation has been observed on the island since September.

Despite yesterday’s phreatomagmatic eruption, Phivolcs said Taal remained under Alert Level 1.

State seismologists said a major magmatic eruption is unlikely to occur at the volcano.

“Background levels of volcanic earthquake activity and localized ground deformation detected in Taal indicate the unrest is unlikely to progress into a major magmatic eruption at this time,” Phivolcs said in an advisory.

State seismologists said sudden steam-driven, phreatic or minor phreatomagmatic eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas could occur anytime.

Authorities warned of long-term health impacts on communities surrounding the Taal caldera that are frequently exposed to volcanic gasses.

Phivolcs chief Teresito Bacolcol advised residents to wear face masks in order to protect themselves from volcanic ash and gasses.

Bacolcol urged pilots to avoid flying their aircrafts near Taal as sudden phreatic eruptions could happen anytime.

He said Phivolcs could not yet raise the alert level from 1 to 2 as state seismologists are still looking at the parameters collectively.

Bacolcol said that as of now, the important parameters are the volcanic earthquakes, which indicate that magma is rising and breaking rocks.

He said fishing in Taal Lake could be allowed rovided people avoid coming near the volcano. — Jose Rodel Clapano