3 apparent sinkholes appeared in Taal, Batangas

Residents of Taal, Batangas are concerned about landslides that have created three deep pit-like sinkholes.

According to the local government, landslides were recorded in Barangay Apakay.

One of them has a depth of 10 meters and a width of 4 meters. It almost swallowed the fence and gate of the house of resident Pepito Balbacal.

“Natatakot ka, siyempre buhay nakalaan d’yan. Mamaya mahulog ka d’yan, malalim ‘yan,” said Balbacal.

The apparent sinkhole crossed the road to the forest, where a ravine-like landslide also turned into a soil erosion.

Landslides occurred after a series of heavy rains in recent days.

According to the local government, since the eruption of the Taal Volcano in 2020, other landslides have been recorded in Barangay Laguile and Barangay Cawit. It was also reported that the landslides damaged 89 houses.

Taal Mayor Pong Mercado has asked Phivolcs to study the pits that have occurred thoroughly. As a result, the agency will send personnel to Barangay Apakay this Friday afternoon.

The local disaster office and Phivolcs had earlier said that the landslide-affected areas were already dangerous.

3 apparent sinkholes appeared in Taal, Batangas

The local government has allocated funds to construct the relocation site for about 100 residents.

So far, only a barrier or warning has been installed around the sinkholes. However, residents have been reminded constantly to be prepared and observe their surroundings, especially when there are visible cracks in the ground.

In the past 24-hour period, the Taal Volcano Network did not detect any volcanic earthquake. Instead, activity at the Main Crater was dominated by the generation of plumes 900 meters tall that drifted southwest. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 386 tonnes/day on 19 May 2022.

Temperature highs of 66.5°C were last measured from the Main Crater Lake on 27 April 2022. Based on ground deformation parameters from electronic tilt, continuous GPS, and InSAR monitoring, Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021.

Alert Level 2 (Decreased Unrest) prevails over Taal Volcano. DOST-PHIVOLCS reminds the public that at Alert Level 2, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall, and lethal accumulations or bursts of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within TVI and along its coast. Therefore, entry into TVI, Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone, must be strictly prohibited.