Taal Volcano had 25 volcanic earthquakes having durations of two to 90 minutes in the past 24-hour period, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Sunday, March 13.
This is relatively lower than the 49 Taal volcanic quakes recorded by Phivolcs on Saturday, March 12.
Activity at Taal’s main crater was dominated by upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in its lake which generated plumes 1,800 meters tall that drifted southwest, said Phivolcs.
“Based on ground deformation parameters, Taal Volcano Island (TVI) and the Taal region have begun deflating in October 2021,” it added.
Meanwhile, due to its continuous “increased unrest,” Phivolcs maintained the Alert Level 2 status of the volcano. Under this alert level, sudden steam or gas-driven explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations of volcanic gas can occur and threaten the areas within and around TVI.
“Entry into TVI and Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) must be strictly prohibited, especially in the vicinities of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure. Extended stays on Taal Lake is also prohibited,” it added.