Taal Volcano continued to manifest heightened activity with a series of three short phreatomagmatic bursts that occurred on Friday morning, July 2, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a bulletin issued on Saturday, July 3.
Phivolcs said the phreatomagmatic bursts occurred at 10:25 a.m., 10:47 a.m., 11:01 a.m. and produced short jetted plumes that rose 100 meters above the main crater lake.
This was followed by the upwelling of hot volcanic fluids at the main crater lake on Friday afternoon.
https://www.facebook.com/PHIVOLCS/videos/203576055104671
In the past 24 hours, Taal also had 48 volcanic earthquakes, including two volcano-tectonic earthquakes, 40 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, six volcanic tremor events having durations up to four minutes, and low-level background tremor that has persisted since April 8.
High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose as much as three kilometers were generated from the Taal main crater.
Phivolcs measured the SO2 emission at an average 10,254 tonnes per day.
In addition, vog or volcanic smog was observed over Taal Volcano and its immediate vicinity.
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 due to continuous "magmatic unrest."
"At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the Main Crater could drive explosive eruption," Phivolcs said.
The public is prohibited from entering the entire Taal Volcano Island, which is a permanent danger zone.
Phivolcs also advised those in the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas to evacuate due to hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami in case strong eruptions occur.
"All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time," it added.
Communities around the Taal lakeshores were also advised to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog.
Residents around Taal Lake should "calmly" prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify, Phivolcs said.