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Steady steam emission, infrequent weak explosions observed in Taal Volcano
A hazardous eruption is still being expected in Taal Volcano after "steady steam emission and infrequent weak explosions" were observed in the main crater for the past 24 hours.
According to a PHIVOLCS bulletin on Friday morning, these activities generated dark gray ash plumes 100 to 800 meters tall that dispersed ash to areas southwest to west of the main crater.
PHIVOLCS said that the existing cracks on the ground in the towns of Lemery, Agoncillo, Talisay, and San Nicolas in Batangas have widened by a few centimeters.
A new steaming fissure has also appeared on the northern slopes of the Taal Volcano island, it added.
Further, the shoreline around the Taal Lake has been observed to be receding.
Meanwhile, 65 volcanic earthquakes were plotted by the Philippine Seismic Network from 5 a.m. on Thursday to 5 a.m. on Friday.
Two of these had magnitudes 1.3 to 3.1 and were both felt at Intensity I, PHIVOLCS said.
This brings to 634 the total number of volcanic earthquakes recorded by the Philippine Seismic Network since Taal Volcano's initial activity last Sunday afternoon.
On the other hand, the Taal Volcano Network—with instruments closer to the volcano—has already been able to record 944 volcanic earthquakes, of which 29 were classified as low-frequency ones.
According to the United States Geological Survey, low-frequency earthquakes are "caused by cracks resonating as magma and gases move toward the surface."
"They are often seen prior to volcanic eruptions, but their occurrence is also part of the normal background seismicity at some volcanoes and their occurrence does not necessarily indicate that an eruption is imminent," the USGS said.
PHIVOLCS said that Taal Volcano's seismic activity indicates that there is "continuous magmatic intrusion beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity."
Alert Level 4 remains in place as hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.
The Taal Volcano Island, the areas within the 14-kilometer radius from the main crater, and areas along the Pansipit River Valley must be evacuated due to possible hazards such as base surge and volcanic tsunami.
Other communities around the volcano must also prepare against the effects of heavy and prolonged ashfall.
The airspace around Taal Volcano remains unsafe to aircraft due to risks that may be posed by airborne ash and ballistic fragments from the eruption column.
The Alert Level has not been downgraded, though, as volcanologists continue to monitor the situation.
"Two weeks ang observation period natin para makita natin kung may paghupa na talaga. 'Yun ang standard operating procedure pero titingnan natin kung mapapaikli," PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum said during an interview in Dobol B sa News TV on Friday morning. —KBK, GMA News
