MORE phreatomagmatic and phreatic eruptions are expected from Taal Volcano in Batangas, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.
“We expect these incidents to happen,” Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said at the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing, a day after the volcano had an 11-minute phreatomagmatic eruption last Wednesday.
The volcano will remain under Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest) despite the latest phreatomagmatic eruption, Bacolcol said.
Phreatomagmatic eruptions happen when magma comes into contact with water, producing steam and ash and sometimes fragmented volcanic materials.
Phreatic eruption, meanwhile, is caused by the interaction of water with hot volcanic materials and gases.
“As long as we have the right ingredients like water and hot volcanic materials or magma, there can be a repeat (of these incidents),” said Bacolcol.
Bacolcol said Phivolcs has recorded 49 phreatic eruptions and one phreatomagmatic eruption since last April. On Wednesday, Bacolcol said the Taal had two phreatomagmatic eruptions in 2022.
In a radio interview, Bacolcol said the additional eruptions will occur “not necessarily in the next hours.”
“Basically, if you have hot volcanic materials interacting with water, this can cause phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruptions … We would still expect the same thing, probably in the next days or from time to time,” he said.
“We would expect this to happen every now and then, that’s why we are again advising the people not to go to the Taal Volcano Island,” he added. The island had been declared as a permanent danger zone.
Bacolcol said Phivolcs has not monitored any volcanic earthquake in the past 24 hours and the volcano’s sulfur dioxide emission on Wednesday was measured at only 2,532 tons. The volcano’s highest sulfur dioxide emission was 18,000 tons, which was recorded sometime in March.
“That’s why, we are maintaining Alert Level 1 despite the phreatomagmatic eruption yesterday (Wednesday),” said Bacolcol.
President Marcos Jr. said the national government is closely monitoring the Taal Volcano situation to ensure that the needs of those affected by the eruption are properly addressed.
The President, in an ambush interview, said standard operating procedures are in place and people on the ground are on top of the situation.
The President also said that based on Phivolcs’ report, the situation remains manageable. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
