THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday said there are no signs that Taal Volcano in Batangas will have a major magmatic eruption.
Taal’s last magmatic eruption occurred in January 2020, affecting over 400,000 thousand persons.
The volcano remains under Alert Level 1, which means it is showing low-level unrest.
Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol, in a radio interview yesterday, said PAGASA has recorded 62 phreatic and two phreatomagmatic eruptions since April.
The two phreatomagmatic eruptions (caused by interaction of water and magma) occurred last Wednesday and Saturday.
One of the phreatic eruptions (caused by interaction of water with hot volcanic materials and gasses) occurred last Sunday, Phivolcs said in a bulletin.
“There are many signs, many parameters (being considered) before we can say this may lead to major magmatic eruption. As of now, these are not present,” Bacolcol said.
He also noted that a day before the last magmatic eruption in January 2020, PAGASA recorded some 120 volcanic earthquakes at Taal.
“Now, we are not seeing that. In fact, it’s at the background level. There were instances we recorded volcanic earthquakes but these are five to 10,” he said.
Bacolcol said no volcanic earthquake was recorded on Sunday.
“We have not also observed inflation (of the volcano) as of now … In fact, what we’re seeing is the opposite — we have a long-term deflation,” said he said.
Bacolcol also said the volcano’s sulfur dioxide emission was measured at 2,068 tons last Saturday, which is low compared to this year’s high of 18,000 tons recorded sometime in March.
“As of now, we are not seeing a major magmatic eruption,” he said.
Nevertheless, Bacolcol said they are not discounting the possibility of a magmatic eruption in the future.
“That’s why we have to be vigilant and people living around the volcano should not go to the Taal Volcano Island,” said Bacolcol. The island is declared as a permanent danger zone.
During the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing, Bacolcol said tourists can still go to Tagaytay City.
“It’s safe (to go to Tagaytay). They just have to bring face mask just in case there will be eruption, ashfall or sulfur dioxide emission, so they can protect themselves,” he said.
