MANILA, Philippines — A sharp increase in Taal Volcano’s seismic events may trigger a minor phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned on Monday.
Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said the agency issued a notice following its rising seismic events as recorded by Taal Volcano Network (TVN) stations.
“There has been a pronounced increase in real-time seismic energy measurement or RSAM,” Bacolcol said
A total of 12 volcanic earthquakes including six tremor events were recorded by the TVN since Jan. 1, 2025.
Phivolcs said that the Batangas volcano has been spewing sustained levels of sulfur dioxide or SO2 for the past four years with the latest emission measured on Dec. 30, 2024 at 2,753 tons per day.
“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,” Bacolcol said.
“It may lead to short-term pressurization and trigger a phreatic or even a minor phreatomagmatic eruption,” he said.
Currently, the volcano is under Alert Level 1, which means that “it is still in abnormal condition and should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.”
At Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic or minor phreatomagmatic eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the island, the agency added.
It reiterated its reminder against entry within Taal’s permanent danger zone, particularly near its main crater.
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