At 5:18 AM today, a short-lived phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at Taal Volcano Main Crater and generated a grayish plume that rose 300 meters before drifting southeast.
In the past 24-hour period, the Taal Volcano Network recorded fifty-five (55) volcanic earthquakes, including one (1) explosion-type earthquake, forty-four (44) low frequency volcanic earthquakes, five (5) volcanic tremor events having durations of two (2) to five (5) minutes, five (5) hybrid earthquakes and low-level background tremor that has persisted since 08 April 2021.
High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose one thousand five hundred (1,500) meters before drifting southwest was generated from the Taal Main Crater. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 7,560 tonnes/day on 06 July 2021.
Based on ground deformation parameters from electronic tilt, continuous GPS and InSAR monitoring, Taal Volcano Island has begun deflating in April 2021 while the Taal region continues to undergo very slow extension since 2020.
Alert Level 3 (Magmatic Unrest) now prevails over Taal Volcano. At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the Main Crater could drive explosive eruption.
Taal Volcano records phreatomagmatic eruption
The public is reminded that the entire Taal Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and entry into the island as well as into the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel must be prohibited due to the hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami should strong eruptions occur.
All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time. Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify.
Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying over Taal Volcano Island as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and pyroclastic density currents such as base surges may pose hazards to aircraft.
DOST-PHIVOLCS maintains its close monitoring of Taal Volcano and any new development will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the vaccination against COVID-19 of Taal Volcano evacuees in the towns of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas began on Monday using the Sinovac vaccine.
The Department of Health (DOH) has increased the allocation to immediately evacuate the displaced residents due to the eruption of Taal Volcano.
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