The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Thursday, Feb. 29 said there was an increased sulfur dioxide emission (SO2) from Taal Volcano.

In a statement, Phivolcs said it measured the second-highest flux at a total of 14,558 tons per day of SO2 at the Taal Main Crater.
It surpassed the SO2 emission at 14,211 tons per day on Feb. 19.
"Taal has averaged approximately 9,450 tonnes/day for the month of February 2024 and has been continuously degassing voluminous concentrations of SO2 since 2021," it said.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs noted there was no volcanic smog over Taal Caldera, as moderate winds hindered the SO2 from accumulating.
Also, the seismicity of the volcano was still within "baseline levels," as only three volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded in February.
Phivolcs advised the public to be wary of phreatic explosions, as Taal Volcano remained under Alert Level 1 or that the volcano is in abnormal condition and "should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity."
Moreover, Phivolcs warned that the emission of high concentrations of SO2 may lead to potential long-term health impacts on the residents near Taal Caldera, who are often exposed to volcanic gas, said Phivolcs.