By ELLALYN RUIZ
Although the activity of Taal Volcano has seemed to die down in the past week after its eruption last January 12, the Philippine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology (Phivolcs) is still looking at all possible scenarios, including a bigger eruption for the restive volcano.
“Noong mga unang araw nandoon ‘yung imminent danger ng pag-escalate ng mas malaking eruption. Eto ‘yung scenario na nakita natin sa 1911 or even sa 1754 eruption. Nakikita natin na parang nakalagpas na tayo sa ganung scenario ng 1911. So kailangan natin i-evaluate ‘yung mga possibilities.” Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief Ma. Antonia Bornas said.
Taal Volcano’s eruption in 1911 only lasted days, from January 27 to February 10, but the violent explosion caused the death of 1,335 people.
“Titignan natin kung may prolonged activity, magkakaroon ng lull and then malakas na pagputok or we cannot relax yet at pwede pa magkaroon ng eruption or pwedeng the eruption has actually died down,” Bornas explained.
“There is a possibility that at a period of acquiescence, after a period of time, an eruption could occur again,” she added.
Bornas said Phivolcs will look at all possible scenarios and continue to do by-the-hour daily monitoring of Taal Volcano’s activity.
Phivolcs observed that Taal Volcano’s activity, particularly in its main crater in the past 24 hours, has been characterized by steady steam emission and infrequent weak explosions that generated white to dirty white ash plumes about 500 to 1000 meters tall and dispersed ash southwest of the main crater.
Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 1,442 tons per day, which remains high since Taal Volcano’s eruption last January 12.
The Philippine seismic network plotted a total of 691 volcanic earthquakes since 1 p.m. of January 12 while 175 of these have magnitudes 1.2 to 4.1 and were felt at Intensities 1 to 5.
From 5 a.m. last Saturday until 5 a.m. yesterday, there were 25 volcanic earthquakes plotted, registered at magnitudes 1.3 to 2.7 with one felt event at Intensity 1.
“For the past 24 hours, the Taal Volcano Network, which can record small earthquakes undetectable by the Philippine seismic network, recorded 787 volcanic earthquakes including 15 low-frequency earthquakes.
“Such intense seismic activity likely signifies continuous magmatic intrusion beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity,” Phivolcs said.
Alert Level 4 still remains in effect over Taal Volcano as of yesterday, which means that hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.
Phivolcs reiterated the total evacuation of Taal Volcano Island and high-risk areas as identified in the hazard maps within the 14-kilometer radius from Taal main crater and along the Pansipit River Valley where fissuring has been observed.
