The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the Taal Volcano Network (TVN) had recorded two successive short-lived phreatic or steam-driven eruption events with a duration of more than two minutes. 

Phivolcs said the events happened between 8:50 to 8:52 a.m. and 9:09 to 9:12 a.m. producing up to 350 meter-high white steam plumes drifting west-southwest and southwest. 

“The phreatic events were likely driven by the continued emission of hot volcanic gases at the Taal Main Crater and could be succeeded by similar phreatic activity,” Phivolcs said. 

“The background levels of volcanic earthquake activity and ground deformation detected at Taal indicate that unrest is unlikely to progress into magmatic eruption,” it added.

Meanwhile, the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions declined at an average of 2,104 tons per day as of April 18. 

However, Phivolcs said high concentration degassing of volcanic SO2 may cause potential long-term health effects to nearby communities in Taal Caldera. 

Phivolcs said Alert Level 1 still prevails over Taal Volcano or is still under “abnormal condition,” which should not be understood that the volcano has ceased unrest nor ceased the chance for eruptive activity. 

Alert Level 1 means that steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas are possible to happen. 

“DOST-PHIVOLCS strongly recommends that entry into TVI, Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone or PDZ, especially the vicinities of the Main Crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, must remain strictly prohibited,” it said.