A hazardous eruption may likely occur within hours or days, a top official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned,
Phivolcs Director Undersecretary Renato Solidum said in a press briefing this morning that the continuous phreatic eruption is their indication that the magma is going up to the crater.
“Kung may kaldero ka na nagsasaing ka, nagkakaroon ng pressure dahil sa gas at takip ng kaldero yung hindi tinatanggal. Kapag natanggal yun, tuloy-tuloy na lalabas yung steam. So ganoon yung nangyari nagkaroon ng phreatic eruption kaya na-depressurize yung crater, tuloy-tuloy na yung pag akyat ng magma. Kaya mabilis ang mga pangyayari,” he said.
A lava fountain was already recorded at 3:20 a.m. on Monday morning. It finished at 4:30 a.m.
Solidum said they have advised the evacuation of those within the 14- kilometer radius from the volcano.
Solidum explained that the Taal Volcano has been placed under alert level 1 since March 2019.
Level 4 alert remains in place
Alert level 4 is still in effect over Taal volcano.
Solidum explained that they cannot yet raise it to a higher alert level since alert level 5 would mean the volcano has already erupted.
“Ang Alert level 5 is statement of fact. Kapag sinabi natin alert level 5, ganito ang nangyayari sa volcano. Nangyayari na ang mapanganib na eruption. Kapag hindi nangyari yun, hindi tayo magsasabi ng alert level 5,” he said.
“Kaya nag-eevacuate na tayo ng mas marami sa ngayon,” he added.
Volcanic earthquakes to continue
Volcanic earthquakes triggered by the ongoing steam-driven eruption of Taal will continue.
Solidum said earthquakes with less than Magnitude 4 will continue near the volcano in Batangas.
As per their latest advisory, Phivolcs has already recorded a total of 75 earthquakes as of 5 a.m. (PH Time) today.
The last time Taal volcano erupted was in the year 1977.
