The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the probability of a major eruption of Taal Volcano is now slim as volcanic activities under Taal continued to dwindle.
Phivolcs director Renato Solidum Jr. said Tuesday that there is still no possibility to raise again the danger level of Taal to 4 as its monitoring parameters further decreased.
“Sa ngayon wala pang possibility na itaas ulit sa alert level 4 kasi ‘yung ibang mga parametro na binabantayan natin tulad ng mga paglindol ay bumaba pa kaysa kahapon at ‘yung sulfur dioxide ay walang masyadong na-detect dahil mahina ang steaming,” Solidum explained.
The state volcanology agency lowered the alert status of Taal to Level 3 on Sunday, two weeks after its January 12 eruption, following observations that the volcano’s tendency towards a hazardous eruption decreased.
According to Phivolcs, Taal’s condition in the past weeks generally declined into “less frequent volcanic activity, decelerated ground deformation of the Taal Volcano caldera and Taal Volcano Island, edifice, and weak steam gas emissions from the Main Crater.”
However, despite the lowering of the alert level, Solidum warned the public on possible steam-driven explosion as there is a continuous hydrothermal activity underneath Taal.
This was after Phivolcs observed that Taal belched on Tuesday weak to voluminous emission of white to dirty white steam-laden plumes measuring up to 100 to 800 meters tall that drifted southwest.
“Itong mga nakikita natin sa Taal, ‘yung voluminous o makapal na usok na dirty white, ay nangangahulugan na patuloy pa rin ang aktibidad ng Taal Volcano lalo na yung hydrothermal activity o pagpapakulo ng tubig diyan mismo sa ilalim ng volcano island,” Solidum said. (Alexandria San Juan)
