By Alexandria San Juan  Alert Level 3 remains over Taal Volcano on Tuesday, more than a month after it erupted, as volcanic activities continue to fluctuate in the past days. The main crater of the Taal Volcano
(Mark Balmores) In the latest bulletin issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission of Taal was measured at an average of 105 tons per day on Monday, February 10. This was lower than the 116 tons per day recorded on Saturday, February 8. Sulfur dioxide levels have been rising and falling in the previous days and sometimes was very low to be detected. A higher level of SO2, which is a major gas component of magma, is being released when magma or molten rocks are near the surface of a volcano indicating a possible magmatic eruption. Volcanic quakes also continue to jolt the volcano island as the Taal Volcano Network plotted a total of 87 earthquakes from Monday morning to Tuesday morning including one low-frequency event and two harmonic tremors having durations of one to three minutes. These earthquakes, Phivolcs reiterated, signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the Main Crater. State volcanologists also observed weak emission of steam-laden plumes from Taal Volcano's Main Crater rising from 50 to 100 meters high before drifting southwest. Activity in the Main Crater in the past 24 hours has been characterized by weak emission of steam-laden plumes rising 50 to 100 m high before drifting southwest. Taal's danger status stayed at Alert Level 3 since January 26, weeks after its phreatic or steam-driven eruption last January 12 which forced thousands of nearby residents to evacuate due to thick ash that blanketed their homes. Alert Level 3 means that there is a "relatively high unrest manifested by seismic swarms including the increasing occurrence of low-frequency earthquakes and/or harmonic tremors where some events are felt." With this, the state volcanology agency warned the public that sudden steam-driven and even weak phreatomagmatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall, and lethal volcanic gas expulsions can still occur and threaten areas within Taal Volcano Island and nearby lakeshore communities. Phivolcs also maintained that entry into the volcano island as well as into areas over Taal Lake and communities west of the island within a seven-kilometer radius from the Main Crater must be "strictly prohibited." "Local government units are advised to assess areas outside the seven-kilometer radius for damages and road accessibilities and to strengthen preparedness, contingency and communication measures in case of renewed unrest," the agency added.