WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Taal Volcano in Batangas to Alert Level 3 on March 26, warning that there is magmatic unrest which may drive eruptions. This prompted the evacuation of residents from several high-risk areas.
Two weeks later, on April 9, Phivolcs downgraded Taal Volcano to Alert Level 2 due to decreased unrest. But the agency said this does not mean that the threat of an eruption has disappeared.
Bookmark this page for Phivolcs bulletins, information on government response, updates about evacuations, and other news about Taal Volcano.
LATEST UPDATES
Phivolcs bulletin, April 1, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Friday, April 1:
● Phreatomagmatic bursts: 3 from the main crater at 10:39 am, 10:47 am, and 10:55 am on Thursday, March 31, producing plumes 500 to 900 meters tall that drifted southwest
● Volcanic earthquakes: 13 in past 24-hour period, including 3 volcanic tremors lasting 2 to 3 minutes and 10 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 2,000 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 7,856 tons per day on Thursday, March 31
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs bulletin, March 31, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Thursday, March 31:
● Volcanic earthquakes: none detected in past 24-hour period, but low-level background tremor has persisted since Tuesday, March 29
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 1,500 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 6,405 tons per day on Wednesday, March 30
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs bulletin, March 30, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Wednesday, March 30:
● Volcanic earthquakes: 4 volcanic tremors lasting 2 to 5 minutes in past 24-hour period. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since Tuesday, March 29.
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 1,500 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 4,474 tons per day on Tuesday, March 29
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs OIC Solidum provides updates during March 29 Talk to the People
Solidum: Kapag sustained ang explosion, we will maintain alert level 3. Itataas sa alert level 4 kung may magma na tataas sa volcano. Binabantayan natin ang magma na at 5 kms na puwedeng mag-trigger ng eruption. | via @bnzmagsambol
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 29, 2022
DOH: 1,060 families affected by Taal unrest
Duque says some 1,060 families are affected by Taal Volcano unrest. He reminds individuals to continue wearing face masks. | via @bnzmagsambol
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 29, 2022
Check this page for updates on the Taal unrest: https://t.co/VLWBMvB29P pic.twitter.com/NVbnV64RPm
Phivolcs bulletin, March 29, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Tuesday, March 29:
● Phreatomagmatic bursts: 3 from the main crater at 9:30 am, 9:33 am, and 9:46 am on Monday, March 28, producing plumes 400 to 800 meters tall that drifted southwest
● Volcanic earthquakes: 8 in past 24-hour period, including 1 volcanic tremor event lasting 5 minutes and 7 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 2,400 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 4,273 tons per day on Monday, March 28
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs bulletin, March 28, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Monday, March 28:
● Volcanic earthquakes: none detected in past 24-hour period
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 1,000 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 1,140 tons per day on Sunday, March 27
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs bulletin, March 27, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Sunday, March 27:
● Phreatomagmatic activity: 2 events at 4:34 am and 5:04 am on Sunday, producing plumes 800 meters and 400 meters tall, respectively, that drifted southwest
● Volcanic earthquakes: 14 in past 24-hour period, including 10 volcanic tremors lasting 2 to 3 minutes and 4 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 1,000 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Sulfur dioxide emission: averaged 6,957 tons per day on Friday, March 25 (latest data given)
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October 2021
Taal Volcano was placed under Alert Level 3 on Saturday, March 26, following a phreatomagmatic eruption. The volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest.
Phivolcs update, March 26, 7:45 pm
Phivolcs said the phreatomagmatic eruption on Saturday, March 26, was recorded by 11 out of 16 seismic stations of the Taal Volcano Network as “volcanic tremor events that lasted 5 and 86 minutes.”
Up to 66 “discrete explosions” were also detected by 5 out of 7 infrasound stations.
Since the eruption ended at 8:59 am, “there has been no further activity.” Phivolcs only recorded 3 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes and 5 volcanic tremors.
But “sulfur-smelling wet ashfall” was reported on Taal Volcano Island, along the Calauit and Alas-as shorelines, and on the lakeshore of Barangay Banyaga in Agoncillo, Batangas.