Alert Level 4 remains over Taal Volcano, hazardous eruption possible in hours or days

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Saturday said Alert Level 4 is still in effect over Taal Volcano, meaning hazardous explosive eruption may possibly occur within hours or days.

"Alert Level 4 still remains in effect over Taal Volcano. This means that hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days," PHIVOLCS said in its 8 a.m. bulletin.

The volcano's main crater steadily emitted steam and had infrequent weak explosions in the past 24 hours, it said.

These explosions "generated white to dirty white ash plumes 50 to 600 meters tall and dispersed ash southwest of the Main Crater," it added.

On Friday, sulfur dioxide measured 360 tonnes, consistent with the weak plume activity at the main crater, PHIVOLCS said.

Earthquakes

From 1 p.m. of January 12, the day the volcano had a phreatic eruption, 666 volcanic earthquakes have already been recorded by the Philippine Seismic Network.

Of this number, 174 quakes had magnitudes of 1.2 to 4.1 and were felt at Intensities I to V.

Meanwhile, from 4 a.m. of Jan. 17, Friday, to 5 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, a total of 32 volcanic earthquakes were recorded ranging from magnitude 1.5 to 3.3.

"The Taal Volcano Network recorded eight hundred seventy-six  (876) volcanic earthquakes including six (6) tremor events and twenty (20) low-frequency earthquakes," PHIVOLCS said.

"Such intense seismic activity likely signifies continuous magmatic intrusion beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity," it added.

PHIVOLCS reiterated that Taal Volcano Island and high-risk areas within the 14-km radius from the main crater and along the Pansipit River Valley should be totally evacuated.

It also advised residents to take the necessary precautions against heavy and prolonged ashfall.

PHIVOLCS also advised pilots to avoid the airspace around the volcano since ash and ballistic fragments from the eruption column may damage aircraft.

In a press briefing on Saturday morning, PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said they are closely monitoring possible steam explosions.

"Binabantayan natin ang posibleng mga steam explosion. Kapag lumagi na ang pagsabog posibleng mangyari ang base surge," Solidum said.

PHIVOLCS earlier said a base surge is a special class of pyroclastic density currents which are "mixtures of fragmented volcanic particles, hot gases and ash that rush down the volcanic slopes or rapidly outward from a source vent at high speeds."

It added that a base surge could instantly destroy properties and kill people along the shoreline communities near the volcano island, should a hazardous eruption occur.

At risk for a base surge are communities within a 14-km radius from the volcano. This does not include Tagaytay City in Cavite, a popular lookout point for the volcano, which is too high to be reached by a base surge.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Saturday said P16,585,936.61 worth of assistance has been given for Taal evacuees by the government.

In its 6 a.m. situation report, the NDRRMC said the assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, and local government units.

A total of 22,472 families or 96,061 individuals were affected in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Quezon by the volcano's activity. Of this number, 16,174 families or 70,413 individuals were staying in 300 evacuation centers. —KG, GMA News