TAAL VOLCANO ADVISORY

21 October 2022

2:00 PM

 

 

This is a notice of low-level phreatomagmatic activity in Taal Volcano.

 

A total of nineteen (19) very weak phreatomagmatic bursts have been detected by remote camera monitoring of the Taal Main Crater between 8:50 AM and 1:30 PM today, 21 October 2022, all emanating from a vent on its northeastern side. Some of these events produced 200-meter-tall steam-rich plumes with a few emanating from very short dark ash plumes that immediately collapsed into the Main Crater Lake (MCL).  Many of the bursts were obscured by ongoing upwelling of hot volcanic gas in the MCL, while all events did not generate detectable signals in the seismic and infrasound records. Presently, Taal MCL has an acidity of pH 0.76 and temperatures reaching 65.1 ºC based on measurements on 12 October 2022. SO₂ flux averaged 6,702 tonnes/day yesterday, 20 October 2022.

 

DOST-PHIVOLCS reminds the public that Alert Level 1 prevails over Taal Volcano, which means that it is still in abnormal condition and should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity. Should current phreatomagmatic activity worsen or pronounced changes in monitored parameters forewarn of increasing unrest, the Alert Level may be raised to Alert Level 2. 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 TVI. 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. Local government units are advised to continuously assess previously evacuated barangays around Taal Lake for damages and road accessibilities and to strengthen preparedness, contingency and communication measures in case of renewed unrest. People are also advised to observe precautions due to ground displacement across fissures, possible ashfall and minor earthquakes. Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and wind-remobilized ash may pose hazards to aircrafts.

 

DOST-PHIVOLCS is closely monitoring Taal Volcano’s activity and any new significant development will be immediately communicated to all stakeholders.

 

 

DOST-PHIVOLCS