Taal Volcano in Batangas emitted a 1,400-meter-tall steam plume in the past 24 hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday, Jan. 15.
In its 8 a.m. Taal Volcano bulletin, Phivolcs said the volcano had a “voluminous” emission of a steam-rich plume that drifted southwest afterward.
It also recorded 154 volcanic tremors that lasted two to five minutes.
Moreover, Phivolcs observed an “upwelling” of hot volcanic fluids in the Taal main crater lake.
It said that the Taal Volcano averaged 6,298 tons per day of sulfur dioxide (SO2) when it was last measured on Jan. 12.
It pointed out that the active volcano remains under Alert Level 1, which means it is still in an abnormal condition.
At Alert Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island (TVI), Phivolcs said.
It “strongly” recommended that entry into TVI—Taal’s permanent danger zone, especially the vicinities of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, should be strictly prohibited.