Almost 900 families or nearly 3,000 people have fled their homes near Taal Volcano since Saturday after an eruption sent ash and steam hundreds of meters into the sky, the government said yesterday.
Taal Volcano, which sits in a picturesque lake south of Manila, exploded with a “short-lived” burst at 7:22 a.m., the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a statement.
It warned further eruptions were possible, which it said could trigger dangerous, fast-moving volcanic flows of gas, ash, and debris, as well as a tsunami.
Malacañang on Sunday urged residents near the vicinity of Taal Volcano to remain vigilant after its latest activity triggered Alert Level 3 status.
As of Sunday morning, there are 854 families or 2,894 persons inside 12 evacuation centers in Calabarzon, which comprises the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
In a press statement, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said the executive department is “closely monitoring” the situation in areas near Taal Volcano.
“We urge all residents of affected barangays and communities to remain alert and vigilant, get news updates from trusted sources and authorities, and cooperate with concerned agencies while the volcano situation is being monitored for any developments,” he said.
Andanar said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and its regional counterparts and local government units are implementing all relevant precautionary measures, including evacuation of high-risk communities near the volcano island as well as fishermen in Taal Lake.
He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has Quick Response Teams and standby stockpiles of food and non-food items to augment local supplies when needed.
Residents in five fishing and farming settlements around the lake were ordered to leave their homes, in the third mass evacuation in as many years around one of the country’s most active volcanoes.
“It rained mud,” said Cornelia Pesigan, 25, who sought shelter at a school outside the 7-kilometer danger zone.
“It smelled really bad, and I had difficulty breathing,” the mother of two added.
The initial eruption was followed by “nearly continuous phreatomagmatic activity” that sent plumes stretching 1,500 meters into the air, the seismological agency said, raising the alert level from two to three on a scale of zero to five.
A phreatomagmatic eruption happens when molten rock comes into contact with underground or surface water, said Princess Cosalan, a scientist at the agency, likening it to pouring “water on a hot pan.”
Cosalan said that ash and steam emissions had gone quiet in the hours after the initial burst but said the institute’s on-site sensors continued to detect volcanic earthquakes and another eruption was possible.
The agency’s chief, Renato Solidum, said the activity was weaker than in January 2020, when Taal shot ash 15 kilometers high and spewed red-hot lava, crushing scores of homes, killing livestock, and sending tens of thousands into shelters.
“There is no threat beyond the… five villages,” Solidum said.
More than 12,000 people live in the most vulnerable communities, according to the latest available official data.
Police have been deployed to stop people entering the high-risk zones while aviation authorities warned airlines and pilots of potential hazards from volcanic ash in the atmosphere.
The Philippines is hit periodically by eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — a zone of intense seismic activity.
Access to the volcano island, which was once home to a community of thousands, has been prohibited since the 2020 eruption.
Last July, the seismological agency raised the alert level to three after Taal burst to life again.
It belched sulphur dioxide for several days, creating a thick haze over the capital and surrounding provinces.
The alert level was lowered back to two before Saturday’s eruption.
On Sunday, Phivolcs said Taal Volcano remained under Alert Level 3 as it continued to record more phreatomagmatic eruptions.
In its latest bulletin, the Phivolcs said it recorded two phreatomagmatic events on Saturday night and another two on early Sunday. It also reported 14 volcanic earthquakes, including 10 tremors, that lasted up to three minutes.
The two explosions on Sunday expelled plumes that reached as high as 800 meters, Solidum said in an interview with ABS-CBN.
Phivolcs will continue to observe the volcano’s activity for two weeks before deciding on a new alert level, Solidum said.
The official said it was possible for Taal to have a stronger explosion, even if the Phivolcs downgrades the alert level to 2.
In the past 24-hour period, Phivolcs recorded 14 volcanic earthquakes, including 10 volcanic tremor events having durations of two to three minutes, and four low-frequency volcanic quakes.
Activity at the main crater was dominated by upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in its lake, which generated plumes 1,000 meters tall that drifted southwest.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 6,957 tons per day last March 25.
Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) prevails over Taal Volcano, indicating that there is a magmatic intrusion at the main crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions.
Local officials said more than 900 families were evacuated from some barangays in the municipalities of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas after Saturday’s eruption.
The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday issued public health advisories on sulfur dioxide emissions and ashfall from Taal Volcano.
The DOH said sulfur dioxide is a colorless toxic gas that can harm the respiratory system and make breathing difficult.
A person may be exposed to sulfur dioxide by either breathing it in or
through skin contact.
Affected residents were thus advised to:
• Avoid unnecessary trips out of the house
• Close doors and windows, especially if they are living near the volcano, and
• Always wear a face mask, protective gear for the eyes, and coverings
for the skin.
The DOH said anyone exposed to sulfur dioxide should contact a poison control center or a hospital.
The DOH also said falling ash may cause health problems, and anyone suffering from bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma should avoid exposure to it. With AFP