Phivolcs records volcanic quake; maintains Alert Level 1 on Taal

FILE: Taal Volcano’s beauty and dreamy landscape never fail to amaze. Amid the destruction, Taal’s serenity and calm, as seen from Tagaytay City, are captured in this photo ten days after the eruption on Jan. 12, 2020. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday recorded one earthquake in Taal Volcano in the past 24 hours.

It said the emission of steam-laden plumes from Taal’s main crater vents was very weak and that ground deformation parameters based on continuous GPS monitoring from March 29 to the present indicated slow and slight inflation of the northwestern sector of Taal’s caldera, which was also recorded by electronic tilt on the northwest Volcano Island starting the second week of July.

In contrast, GPS data from the southwestern sector of the caldera and Volcano Island yielded no significant change after the huge post-eruption subsidence, Phivolcs said.

Alert Level 1 (abnormal) is maintained over Taal Volcano, which means sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island (TVI).

Phivolcs strongly recommended that entry into TVI, Taal’s permanent danger zone, especially the vicinities of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, must remain strictly prohibited.

Local government units have been advised to continuously assess previously evacuated barangays around Taal Lake for damage and road accessibility and to strengthen preparedness, contingency, and communication measures in case of renewed unrest.

People have also been advised to take precaution due to ground displacement across fissures, possible ashfall, and minor earthquakes.

Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and wind-remobilized ash may pose hazards to aircraft.