Phivolcs: Alert Level 1 still up over Taal Volcano after 19 eruptions

MANILA, Philippines — Alert Level 1 is still over Taal Volcano, state seismology bureau Phivolcs reminded the public Friday as it recommended the areas remain prohibited after nearly 20 eruptions were recorded in the area. 

This means, they said in an advisory, that the volcano is “still in abnormal condition and should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.”

Phivolcs issued the notice after low-level activity in Taal Volcano was recorded, which included a total of 19 “very weak phreatomagmatic bursts” from a vent in the volcano’s northeastern side between 8:50 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. earlier Friday.

Phreatomagmatic eruptions are a type of explosive eruption that results from magma erupting through water.

Under the current alert level, sudden steam-driven explosions, earthquakes, or ashfall can happen in nearby areas. 

“Should current phreatomagmatic activity worsen or pronounced changes in monitored parameters forewarn of increasing unrest, the Alert Level may be raised to Alert Level 2,” Phivolcs reported. 

“Some of these events produced 200-meter-tall steam-rich plumes with a few emanating from very short dark ash plumes that immediately collapsed into the Main Crater Lake,” it also said of the latest bursts.