Taal phreatic eruptions to continue but Alert Level 1 remains — Phivolcs

MANILA, Philippines — Although phreatic eruptions over Taal Volcano in Batangas province will continue, these are not sufficient to raise its Alert Level 1 status to 2, the chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Wednesday.

Actually, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told The Manila Times that the volcano has recorded over 40 similar eruptions since April this year, five of which occurred last Tuesday.

He said Taal's latest phreatic eruption happened from 4:21 p.m. up to 4:32 p.m., Wednesday, with its plume rising to over

2,400 meters above the volcano island.

Phivolcs said a phreatic eruption was made of steam-driven explosions that would occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface was heated by volcanic activity

«We can expect that similar eruptions would occur from time to time but again its alert status would remain under Level 1,» Bacolcol said.

He said that its other parameters, particularly volcanic earthquakes, remained under almost normal conditions that kept the volcano under Level 1, which means there is a low level volcanic unrest.

The Phivolcs official reminded anew, especially those living near the permanent danger zone, not to go near the volcano since a phreatic eruption could also be dangerous.