Less active with weaker quakes but Taal not yet calming down —PHIVOLCS

There may have been a decrease in surface activity and weaker earthquakes but other indications show Taal Volcano has yet to calm down, the PhilippineInstitute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said on Monday afternoon.

PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Undersecretary Renato Solidum said the agency recorded 184 volcanic tectonic earthquakes, 13 tremors, and nine instances of magma movement between 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday.

“Ang paglindol na ito ay nangangahulugang aktibo pa ang bulkan,” Solidum said at a press briefing.

“If you look at all the parameters, it does not really say that everything is on the downward trend. What you see on the surface is not equivalent to what you see beyond the ground,” he added.

Alert Level 4, meaning a hazardous eruption is imminent, remained raised over the Taal Volcano.

Solidum said magma has also been seen rising to the surface of the volcano.

“Ito ‘yung posibleng mag-recharge o mag-resupply ng magma sa ilalim nito at habang ito’y umaakyat galing sa south ay napapaumbok niya ang lupa dito sa southern end ng lake,” Solidum said.

He said such fissuring was observed in Lemery, Agoncillo, and San Nicolas in Batangas.

Meanwhile, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said over 215,000 residents across the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, and Cavite have been affected by the volcano’s phreatic eruption. 

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier ordered a stop to the implementation of “window hours” for evacuees, during which they could return to their homes to retrieve belongings or feed livestock and pets. —NB, GMA News