Minor eruption normally happens in Taal Volcano – Phivolcs

By Ma. Cristina Arayata, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Taal Volcano as seen from Tagaytay. (Photo by Yla Corotan – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – Minor eruption normally happens in Taal Volcano, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Wednesday.

“Taal erupts every now and then. More than 90 phreatic and phreatomagnetic eruptions were recorded since April last year,” Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in a television interview.

His clarification came after a minor eruption was recorded in Taal at 2:02 a.m. Wednesday.

The latest eruption, which lasted for about 13 minutes, produced a 2,500 meter-high plume that drifted northwest.

Bacolcol said minor phreatomagnetic eruptions were also recorded last Sept. 11 and July 17.

“Taal Volcano erupts almost every month,” Bacolcol added.

He reminded the public to refrain from entering the Taal Volcano Island or permanent danger zone.

Taal Volcano stays at Alert Level 1. Sudden steam or phreatic eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, thin ashfall and emission of poisonous gases are possible.

Bacolcol said raising Taal Volcano’s alert level is unlikely at this time because there are other parameters being considered.

For instance, he said there was no earthquake recorded in Taal Volcano for the past 24 hours.

Bacolcol, meanwhile, also clarified that the eruption has no connection with the magnitude 6.9 offshore Cebu earthquake late Tuesday.

The earthquake was triggered by offshore active fault northeast of Cebu Island, according to Phivolcs.