Lower sulfur dioxide emission and fewer volcanic tremors were observed in Taal Volcano yesterday, but State volcanologists warned that volcanic activities continue underneath.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that activity in Taal’s main crater has been characterized by weak emission of steam-ladeb plumes reaching only 50 to 100 meters tall.
Compared to the sulfur dioxide level of 231 tons per day recorded last Monday, the emission of SO2 slightly dropped last Tuesday and was measured at an average of 55 tons per day.
A decline in the number of volcanic quakes was also noted by State volcanologists from Tuesday morning to yesterday morning as the Taal Volcano Network plotted 156 temblors, including two low-frequency events and 18 harmonic tremors with durations from one to three minutes.
The latest recorded earthquakes were lower than the 223 observed from Monday to Tuesday.
The continuous occurrence of earthquakes within Taal Volcano, Phivolcs said, signifies magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the main crater.
Alert Level 3 remains over Taal Volcano, which means there is a “relatively high unrest manifested by seismic swarms, including the increasing occurrence of low-frequency earthquakes and or harmonic tremors where some events are felt.”
Phivolcs downgraded Taal’s danger status from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 on Jan. 26, two weeks after its phreatic or steam-driven eruption which forced thousands of nearby residents to evacuate due to thick ash that blanketed their homes. (Ellalyn Ruiz)
